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Investing in McMaster's Automotive Centre |
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August 24, 2011 -- University researchers and the automotive industry will now come together to develop "green" automotive technologies, thanks to a new investment by the Government of Canada.
The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), announced the funding at McMaster's Innovation Park. Minister Goodyear was accompanied by David Sweet, Member of Parliament for Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale.
"Our government is committed to making sure the people, businesses and communities of southern Ontario have the tools they need to succeed," said Minister of State Goodyear. "This investment will not only create jobs but help build an automotive resource centre putting southern Ontario at the forefront in the development of green automotive technologies."
Through FedDev Ontario's Prosperity Initiative, McMaster University will receive up to $11.5 million to create the McMaster Automotive Resource Centre (MARC) for the research and development of innovations such as hybrid and electric powertrains, batteries and lightweight materials. The resulting collaboration between businesses, manufacturers, parts suppliers, and researchers will meet the growing demand for green and efficient automotive models. Once completed, the McMaster Automotive Resource Centre is expected to employ approximately 120 to 150 workers from the private, public and academic sectors and will provide training opportunities for highly qualified personnel that this sector requires.
"I am very pleased to see that with this support, our region will become more competitive and known for its leading-edge automotive technology," said MP Sweet. "Our government recognizes the importance of investing in businesses and post-secondary institutions so that southern Ontario can expand into promising new markets."
"The automotive sector is important to Canada's economy," said Patrick Deane, President and Vice-Chancellor, McMaster University. "MARC will allow our University to support this sector through industry-driven research and prototype development, as well as provide opportunities for students to work directly on priority projects with our industry partners."
The Prosperity Initiative is a direct result of feedback from business leaders, academics and community leaders from across southern Ontario, who suggested FedDev Ontario take a leadership role in bolstering innovation and economic growth in our region.
FedDev Ontario was created as part of Canada's Economic Action Plan to support businesses and communities in southern Ontario. Now in its third year of operation, the Agency has launched a number of initiatives to create a Southern Ontario Advantage and place the region in a strong position to compete in the global economy. These initiatives are designed to support businesses and other organizations through partnerships and investments in skills and training; innovation; research and development; and increased productivity.
BACKGROUNDER
McMaster Automotive Resource Centre
With a Prosperity Initiative contribution of up to $11.5 million, a former warehouse space will be renovated and equipped into a "green" automotive research facility that will house the McMaster Automotive Resource Centre – MARC. The new facility will provide a total of approximately 80,000 square feet of space for new development, prototyping, and large scale product trials in order to market newly developed automotive technology for mass production. This project will create 120 to 150 jobs related to research, development and knowledge transfer, foster new university-industry partnerships and train hundreds of students for industry.
The centre will draw upon McMaster University's automotive research strengths, which include the $10M Canada Excellence Research Chair in Hybrid Powertrain (held by Dr. Ali Emadi), and MacAuto, the University's coordinating body for automotive research and development. These strengths will complement the expertise found at CANMET, a federal government materials technology lab which opened at the McMaster Innovation Park in February 2011 to assist academic and industry partners with developing new materials and metal technologies. |
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Humanitarian Aid for Libya |
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March 2, 2011 -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced that Canada is delivering up to $5 million in humanitarian aid to support the Libyan people.
“Canada is acting swiftly to help meet the humanitarian needs of the people of Libya which are a result of recent violence in that country,” said Prime Minister Harper. “We are taking action to provide immediate humanitarian support to areas that need it most.”
Since February 16, the Libyan regime's response to the popular uprising has resulted in the death of hundreds of people. In addition, tens of thousands of people are now fleeing the violence, crossing into Tunisia and Egypt; many more are unable to leave their homes and villages.
Canada, through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), will help to address urgent medical requirements, basic humanitarian needs, and the repatriation of people displaced into Tunisia and Egypt.
Canada's help will include improving access to food, water, sanitation, shelter and emergency medical care.
The initial contribution being announced today will support humanitarian efforts through the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Federation of the Red Cross and the International Organization for Migration.
The development assistance being announced today is one of several measures that our Government is taking, in concert with the international community, to help address the current crisis in Libya. |
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New maternal, newborn and child health initiatives |
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May 27, 2011 -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced support for new health initiatives to help save the lives of mothers and children in Africa and Asia as part of the Canadian-led Muskoka Initiative launched at the G-8 Summit in June 2010.
Targeting the leading causes of mortality in mothers and children in countries such as Sudan, Tanzania, Nigeria, Mali and Afghanistan, the new initiatives will support comprehensive and integrated approaches to provide the necessary health services for mothers and children.
“Canada is proud to be leading international efforts to improve the health and save the lives of mothers and children in some of the world’s poorest countries,” said Prime Minister Harper. “The support announced today will assist some of the most vulnerable people around the world and demonstrates our country’s commitment to the G-8 Muskoka Initiative.”
The Muskoka Initiative on Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) was launched by G-8 partners at the Muskoka G-8 Summit in June 2010 and responds to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals 4, 5 and 6 – to reduce child mortality, improve maternal health and combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.
New health initiatives include:
- Establishing 24-hour emergency obstetrical and neonatal care hospitals in Southern Sudan.
- Helping to immunize 24 million children and pregnant women against preventable diseases, helping to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, and providing antenatal and delivery care to four million women in Tanzania.
- Supporting additional antenatal care visits, increasing the availability of skilled birth attendants, and increasing access to contraceptives, post-delivery checkups, bed nets, as well as the number of infants fed with breast milk in Nigeria.
- Strengthening the referral and evacuation system for pregnant women, reducing the rate of malnutrition in children, and pregnant and nursing women, as well as providing women with better access to the health services they need in Mali.
- Training community health practitioners and increasing the access and use of health services for women and children in underserved areas of Afghanistan.
- Helping to reduce child hunger and undernutrition in children and pregnant women in select developing countries, including Africa and Asia, by targeting the 1,000-day window from pregnancy to age two.
In addition to its leadership role in launching the Muskoka Initiative, Canada was a key contributor to the UN Secretary General’s Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper was also selected to co-chair the UN Commission on Information and Accountability for Women’s and Children’s Health, where Canada has worked to accelerate global progress in saving the lives of women and children by improving accountability for commitments made by all partners. He presented the final report of the Commission to other G-8 leaders at the Deauville Summit. The report makes 10 recommendations that call for an unprecedented level of accountability to track commitments for resources aimed at saving the lives of women and children in developing countries. These recommendations build on existing mechanisms so that simple and clear results can be put in place quickly and work for the benefit of all stakeholders.
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2011 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships |
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August 3, 2011 -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced the recipients of the 2011 Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships. He was joined by Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology) and MP David Sweet.
“Canada’s prosperity is fundamentally linked to science and technology and highly skilled individuals whose talents bring innovative ideas to life,” said Prime Minister Harper. “I am pleased to congratulate the 167 recipients of this year’s Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships – researchers whose ideas will help produce tomorrow’s breakthroughs and keep Canada’s economy growing.”
“I’d like to personally recognize and congratulate the six recipients from McMaster University,” said David Sweet, MP for Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale. “Their work and research are important contributors to our global competitiveness.”
The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship Program was announced by the Harper Government in Budget 2008 to strengthen the country’s ability to attract and retain world-class doctoral students, and to brand Canada as a global centre of excellence in research and higher learning. The Scholarship Program is open to both Canadian and international doctoral students studying at Canadian universities.
Vanier scholars demonstrate leadership skills and a high standard of achievement in graduate studies in the social sciences and humanities, natural sciences and engineering, and health fields. Each of the recipients receives $50,000 a year for three years, to help them as they pursue and complete their doctoral studies.
“This scholarship program is a key component of our Government’s Science and Technology Strategy, helping make Canada a world leader in science and technology and a key source of entrepreneurial innovation and creativity,” concluded the Prime Minister. |
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