Mandate: The focus of the Advocacy and Government Relations Committee is to advance and promote molecular biosciences, with a focus on advocating for robust and sustainable funding for fundamental research in Canada. While CSMB continues working with both our partners Research Canada and the Partnership Group for Science and Engineering, the committee is mandated to develop its own advocacy efforts to ensure that the concerns and solutions of CSMB members are heard on Parliament Hill.
Composition: CSMB President (chair), Vice-President, Past-Presidents, 2 Board members and 3 CSMB members at large.
Responsibilities:
- Identify key concerns of members in regards to Federal Research Funding Issues and develop advocacy strategies to effectively convey issues and solutions to parliamentarians including, email campaigns, petitions, opinion pieces and meeting with members of parliament.
- Submit Pre-budget Consultations to House of Commons.
- Formally respond to the Budget and how it pertains to our members.
- Submit recommendations to federal panels as they arise.
- Build relationships with federal politicians
- Communicate with media.
- Establish social media presence to advance positions of CSMB.
Members of the Committee
CSMB President
Co-Chair of the committee
Walid Houry
University of Ottawa
Board member
Co-Chair of the committee
Trushar Patel
Lethbridge University
CSMB Vice-President
Mojgan Rastegar
University of Manitoba
CSMB Past President
Hans Joachim Wieden
University of Manitoba
Board member
Vincent Archambault
Université de Montréal
Board member
Katey Rayner
University of Ottawa
Board member
Laleh Alisaraie
Memorial University
At-large member
Martin Duenwald
University of Western Ontario
At-large member
Thomas Pulinilkunnil
Dalhousie University
Trainee, at-large member
Ecaterina Cozma
University of British Columbia