Notes for an address by

The Honourable Rona Ambrose
President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada,
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and
Minister of Western Economic Diversification

Funding Announcement

Corresponding Document: News release (2008-05-02)

Check Against Delivery

Good afternoon everyone.

Thank you to Dr. Pinto and Simon Fraser University for hosting this very special event.

I’m delighted to be here. I want to thank all the students present here today for joining us at this important event. 

You represent our next generation of talented minds that is so important to our country’s competitiveness.

SFU’s reputation is one of innovative teaching, cutting-edge research, and community outreach.

Your University attracts Canada’s best and brightest to its programs, from its staff and faculty to its students.

I was in BC recently to announce a number of science and technology investments.

I’m pleased to return again today to make another.

Our government recognizes that science and technology are key to a stronger economy and a stronger Canada.

Investments in science and technology innovation result in the creation of high-quality knowledge-intensive jobs that make our economy more competitive and give Canadians the means to achieve a higher standing of living and a better quality of life.

And, for these reasons, it gives me great pleasure to announce that Western Economic Diversification Canada is investing more than $1.9 million for Simon Fraser University to establish MedChem, a new facility for preclinical drug discovery, and to prepare and equip two related research laboratories.

MedChem will be a vital resource for academic and industrial researchers to produce larger amounts of promising new therapeutic drug compounds for further testing and potential commercialization.

It will also include an incubator for early stage biotechnology companies.

By working with key stakeholders to foster an integrated approach to science and technology innovation, Simon Fraser University is helping to position the province as a leader.

Our Government supports Canadian researchers and innovators in developing new ideas and bringing them to the marketplace through Canada’s Science and Technology Strategy.

Through this Strategy, we are developing three distinct Canadian advantages:

• an Entrepreneurial Advantage that encourages students to be innovators;
• a Knowledge Advantage that puts Canadians at the international forefront of research and discovery; and,
• a People Advantage that helps Canadians acquire the skills they need to participate in the knowledge-based economy.

And, we are delivering on these commitments.

Just this morning, I was in Victoria to announce $600,000 for specialized equipment for the University of Victoria’s Genome BC Proteomics Centre.

Our Government committed a total of more than $1.9 billion toward science and technology initiatives in Budgets 2006 and 2007.
In Budget 2008 we built upon the momentum by providing an additional:

• $80 million per year to Canada’s three university granting councils for research in support of industrial innovation, health priorities, and social and economic development in the North,
• $21 million over two years to create up to 20 Canada Global Excellence Research Chairs, and,
• Most recently my colleague, the Honourable Jim Prentice, announced $163 million towards establishing 11 new Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research across the country, with a total of four of those located in British Columbia, including the Centre for Drug Research and Development.

Today’s announcement will contribute to the goals and objectives of the Government of Canada’s Science and Technology Strategy.

Together, we are working to make science and technology a true competitive advantage for BC and for Canada.

Thank you for joining us today for this important announcement – I look forward to learning about the results of this important work.