Your Candidates, Your Health

Your Candidates, Your Health offers ways to effectively advocate for and educate 2021 Federal Election Candidates about the social and economic benefits of Canadian health research and health innovation. The website provides resources for Advocates, Candidates and Canadians to share information about the crucial importance of Canada’s health research enterprise and health innovation system to the health and wellbeing of Canadians.

“As we look to the future, Canada needs an integrated, transsector strategy to maximize the contribution of our health research and innovation ecosystem to Canada’s post-COVID recovery and our future health security, social wellbeing and economic prosperity.”
- Dr. Rose Goldstein, MD, Chair of Research Canada, Professor of Medicine, McGill University

2021 Federal Election Primer

The federal election campaign period represents one of the best times for capturing the ears of our potential future government representatives to inform and lobby them on policy matters impacting Canada’s health research and innovation enterprise. Research Canada: An Alliance for Health Discovery has put together this 2021 Election Primer so that our Members have helpful tools they can use to approach their respective Candidates and advocate on behalf of our shared concerns – concerns that affect all Canadians. 

Advocacy Messages 

  • Canada’s post-pandemic recovery and future pandemic preparedness depend on having a robust health research and innovation ecosystem that recognizes the unique and essential roles contributed by each stakeholder, and expects and enables trans-sector partnerships between and among stakeholders.
  • The pandemic has shown that our health research and innovation ecosystem is capable of remarkable speed, productivity and impact when we work collaboratively towards a common goal. Canada needs a whole-of-government approach to health research and innovation policy and investment that reflects and supports the collaborative nature of our ecosystem.
  • Recent reinvestments into Canadian research and innovation have been welcome and much needed, but Canada remains significantly outpaced internationally and there is much more to do to catch up and lead. Canada must stay focused and continue to invest in fundamental science through the Tri-Council.
  • We encourage government leaders and representatives to continue to promote research and innovation initiatives that address the needs and ambitions of diverse, highly-qualified research personnel, including the next generation, Indigenous Peoples, women, racialized communities and those of diverse abilities.
  • The pandemic has demonstrated the critical need—and demand—for robust health data that can accurately inform decision-making, enhance threat surveillance, educate the public and help health leaders gain the upper hand in a crisis, and for digital health tools that can engage patients. 

Visit Your Candidates, Your Health for more information and resources.