 As the Minister mentioned, we made a promise to Canadians. We promised we would do more to promote science and to let evidence guide the decisions we make as a government. We did this because the values of science, the freedom to ask questions, to explore, to verify, and to discover, these are values that are important to our government and to all Canadians. Canadians need to have a voice. They need to be able to speak freely about their work because the work that they do has the power to change the world. For some, the work is to study new medicines that could slow down the spread of diseases and save lives. Others develop new technologies, batteries and lithium-ion batteries that feed our cell phones, our electric tools and our electric vehicles, even the rover Curiosity on Mars, have been invented by a Canadian scientist from the University of Alhousie. And others are still spending their days in the depths of space, in the search for essential elements such as black matter and dark energy. In the space field, the knowledge we acquire is not always theoretical. If you've used an infrared ear thermometer to check your child's temperature, if you've slept on a memory foam pillow or even grabbed a hot pan out of the oven using a flame-resistant glove, you're using technology that has a direct link back to space exploration. Whatever they find, wherever they look, the discoveries that scientists make give us the tools we need to take better care of ourselves, better care of each other, and of the world around us. That is why our government is committed to supporting science and Canada's remarkable scientists. We have one of those scientists here today. Madame Mona Neamer is an emeritus researcher in the medical field whose work is focused on the heart, particularly on the mechanisms linked to heart failure and congenital heart disease. These research works have contributed to the release of new tests of deposition and have made new ways to understand heart problems in newborns. Madame Neamer has also taken the role of vice-rectress in research at the University of Ottawa, where she helped to train researchers in Canada and around the world. And her story? Well, it's a very Canadian one. As a young person, Dr. Neamer knew that she wanted to be a scientist and she didn't let anything stand in her way. Not the middle school teachers in Lebanon who told her that young girls shouldn't go into science. She disagreed and became one of the first young women to study science in her high school. Not even war could dissuade her from her path. These studies at the American University of Beirut were interrupted by the war. It was under her dormitory floor that she found refuge for several months before she ran away and finally returned to Canada. It was in Montreal at the McGill University that she convinced Calvin Ogilvy, now a conservative senator, who is here with us today, to take her as a student at the doctorate. And it's in the McGill labs and in many others, that Ms. Neamer realized discovery after discovery, thus improving our understanding of chemistry, genetics and human heart. For these and her many other accomplishments, it gives me tremendous pleasure to introduce Dr. Mona Neamer as Canada's new Chief Science Advisor. Dr. Neamer will advise me, the Minister of Science and other members of cabinet as needed on scientific issues of national importance. She will provide advice to ensure that we have the evidence we need to make good decisions for all Canadians, decisions that will help us to strengthen and grow the middle class and build an economy that works for everyone. On behalf of our government, I want to welcome Dr. Neamer to her new role and look forward to working with her to keep science at the heart of our government. I will now leave the floor to Ms. Neamer, but I will answer your questions in a few minutes. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister. Thank you, Ms. Duncan. What a beautiful day for science. What a beautiful day for science. Good afternoon. Hello everyone. I am delighted to be here with you today and to see so many faces that are familiar to me. It's delightful to be here and see so many familiar faces from the science and the research community. So let me begin by saying how happy and proud I am to have been chosen as Canada's new chief science advisor. I'm a passionate of science and passionate about Canada. So you can understand that this is a challenge that I'm very excited to take on. I'm looking forward to collaborating with my colleagues and the interested parties in Canada as a world leader in the scientific field. Let's all work together to make Canada a global leader in science. In this new role, my main function will be to advise the government on science issues. I consider science and evidence-based policies to be vital to growing a healthy and progressive society. Science helps advance key societal priorities from public health, environmental sustainability, economic prosperity and of course national security. We scientists have an important role to play inside and outside our labs like engaging in knowledge exchange and in translating and explaining science to the public including to our youth. We must increase our participation in public debates particularly in matters requiring scientific understanding and perspective and there are many of them. It is in the interest of everyone that we all become more scientifically literate. That is why I will work to ensure that Canadians have access to scientific information. I will conduct my job in an open and transparent manner and I will provide the impartial advice that government needs. I am pleased and encouraged by our government's respect and enthusiasm for science. I think that's something that's very important. I therefore anticipate with pleasure the possibility to lend a hand to all of the scientific community responsible for policies and for the public to contribute to ensure the vitality and prosperity of tomorrow's society. I'm taking this job to make a difference and I intend to do so. Thank you, merci and on to the work.