RELEASE: MP Murray proposes to bolster Canada's Innovation Capacity

"Member of Parliament and Liberal leadership candidate Joyce Murray today unveiled a new economic sustainability proposal from her Sustainable Society platform on world class research that would reinvest in Canada's basic research capabilities. 'Canada's research investment is critical to our ability to compete in the global marketplace of ideas and build a sustainable, value-added economy,' said MP Murray. 'World class research generates innovation, creativity, productivity, and prosperity. We have the talent, but world class research requires vision, courageous arm's-length decision-making, the right balance between applied research and basic research, and stable funding.' MP Murray's plan includes:   [1] encourage our publicly funded scientists to leverage open access approaches to their work; [2]  enhance much-needed innovation transfer channels between scientists and the private sector, as well as the general public; [3]  provide a strategic infusion of capital to the federal research councils, reversing the Harper government's neglect and bringing per capita funding levels back to match levels of our major competitors; [4]  pledge an investment of $150 million annually to begin re-building Canada's world class research infrastructure ... 'With this approach, we will sow the seeds for breakthrough innovations,' concluded MP Murray. 'A sustainable, value-added economy will only be possible if Canada invests in its brain power and research capabilities in order to compete in the global marketplace of ideas. Basic research must continue to be a critical part of the innovation equation for Canada.'"