Minister Clement Announces the Appointment of Six New Members to Science, Technology and Innovation Council

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Feb. 1, 2011) - The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, today announced the appointment of six new members to the Science, Technology and Innovation Council (STIC), the government's advisory body on science, technology and innovation issues.

"These talented Canadians come from the public, private and academic sectors. They have the broad range of experience that is essential to advise the government on science and technology (S&T) matters of national importance," said Minister Clement. "I am pleased they have agreed to serve on the Council and am certain their contributions will advance the government's innovation agenda. I would also like to thank the outgoing members for their strong leadership in their fields and unwavering commitment and contributions to the Council."

The new appointees are David Agnew, President of Seneca College in Toronto, Ontario; Louis Lévesque, Deputy Minister of International Trade; Dr. Simon Pimstone, President and Chief Executive Officer of Xenon Pharmaceuticals in Burnaby, British Columbia; Dr. Indira Samarasekera, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta; Dr. Neil Turok, Executive Director of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo, Ontario; and Glenda Yeates, Deputy Minister at Health Canada.

"The new members bring talents that will further establish STIC as an advisory body that delivers excellent and unbiased advice to the Minister," said Dr. Howard Alper, Chair of the Council.

The Council is composed of a chair and 17 members, of which 15 come from outside government. Members are selected to cover many sectors of the Canadian economy and have varied competencies and areas of specialization.

The government established STIC in 2007 as a single, integrated advisory body. Its twofold mandate is to provide timely advice on critical issues of science, technology and innovation and to produce regular reports benchmarking Canadian science, technology and innovation performance against international standards of excellence.

STIC has delivered strong results in both areas. Its 2008 State of the Nation report was well received by both Canadian and international readers.

STIC is considered to have a modern approach to S&T. Its streamlined advisory process strengthens the voice of external authorities while helping government decision makers solve complex science, technology and innovation issues.