Brain Canada Event: W. Garfield Weston Foundation - Multi-Investigator Research Initiative (MIRI) - the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq Minister of Health

Monday, April 29, 2013

Check Against Delivery

Good morning everyone.

I'm pleased to join you for today's announcement.

I would like to begin by thanking Inez Jabalpurwala, Brain Canada's President and CEO, and Rupert Duchesne, Chair of the Brain Canada Foundation for inviting me to today's event.

I would also like to thank members of the Weston family and, specifically, the W. Garfield Weston Foundation for their continued leadership and philanthropy.

Unfortunately, millions of Canadians and their families are affected by brain diseases and mental illnesses. In 2011, the Government of Canada committed $100 million to establish the Canada Brain Research Fund to help address this issue.

This fund is built on a public-private model which matches private donations dollar-for-dollar with federal funding. This means that all private contributions up to $100 million are essentially doubled.

Partnerships such as this one allows us to advance research on a number of neurological diseases, brain injuries and mental illnesses at a much faster pace.

This is key because research plays an important role in supporting the health system. Research helps us move forward in our quest for better health and health outcomes.

There has never been a better time to invest in research linked to the brain. Left unchecked, brain disorders can have far reaching effects on a person's overall health, education, employment, and productivity. This is why the federal government is proud to partner with Brain Canada to help advance neuroscience research.

Today, Brain Canada is announcing the results of the Multi-Investigator Research Initiative. The talented recipients of these grants were selected based on their ability to use research to further our understanding of brain disorders.

These five Canadian teams are comprised of some of the brightest minds in the field of research today. Taken together, their work will advance our knowledge of prevention activities, treatments and cures linked to the brain. While their research differs in scope, they share a common goal of improving the health and quality of life of many Canadians.

Unlocking the mysteries of the brain is a complex endeavour but I'm confident the work undertaken by these researchers will advance our understanding at an accelerated rate. And that's good news for all of us.

Whether its governments, businesses, academia, the health sector or charities - we all have an important role to play if we are going to make a difference in the lives of Canadians. I congratulate each of today's recipients and look forward to the outcome of your work.

Once again, I want to thank the W. Garfield Weston Foundation for their significant contributions, this simply wouldn't be possible without your support. Thank you also to the MaRS Centre for hosting us today.

Before closing, I want to acknowledge that we are at the frontier of knowledge when it comes to brain science. I'm confident the work stemming from these partnerships will not only advance our understanding of the brain but also enrich us with new ideas and practices going forward.

Thank you all.