Vikesh Srivastava

Strengthening Canada’s health workforce including promoting health workforce safety. Advancing adoption of AI in the healthcare and health research sectors. Improving Canada’s physical and digital infrastructure for both health research and healthcare delivery. Federal role in the health system as it relates to funding, the use of federal spending power, and pan-Canadian priorities, including in the areas of aging, older adult care, child and youth health, mental health and substance use, palliative care, Indigenous health, public health, and data. Advancing Canada’s health research and innovation agenda as it relates to funding, policy and program design, and regulatory matters, including in the areas of clinical trials and development of innovative medical treatments.

Enhancing cybersecurity resiliency and standards in the health sector. Improving Canada’s physical and digital infrastructure for both health research and healthcare delivery. Strengthening Canada’s health workforce including through the development of a pan-Canadian health workforce plan. Federal role in the health system as it relates to funding, the use of federal spending power, and pan-Canadian priorities, including in the areas of aging, older adult care, child and youth health, mental health and substance use, palliative care, Indigenous health, public health, and data. Advancing Canada’s health research and innovation agenda as it relates to funding, policy and program design, and regulatory matters, including in the areas of clinical trials and development of innovative medical treatments.

Seeking funding support for genomics and related sciences research in Canada through the financing of Genome Canada's activities.

Postal service disruption and the significant hardships these disruptions cause for Canadians and on health charities We ask the federal government to fund MS research in partnership with MS Canada, leveraging our connections and expertise to focus and further our understanding of MS, pursue leading-edge research on repair and regeneration, and explore prevention strategies, including targeting the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Safe Long-Term Care Act with respect to persons affected by MS National Housing Strategy with respect for persons with MS and other chronic conditions and disabilities Measures and funding for the charitable sector generally Home care, with respect to creation with provincial/ territorial governments programs relating to increased home care for persons with MS and other disabilities/ diseases and the support of caregivers Federal Budget: Allocate funding for the Canada Disability Benefit, the Employment Insurance Sickness Benefit; health research; access to treatment and care; and other budgetary policy as it relates to MS. Establishment of national strategy for neurological conditions, with respect to persons with MS and other neurological conditions. Employment Insurance sickness benefits, with respect to creation of flexible benefits for persons with MS and other episodic disabilities Disability Tax Credit with respect to making it refundable and ensuring eligibility for Canadians with episodic disabilities Comprehensive disability income programs, with respect to persons with MS and other chronic and episodic disabilities CIHR as it relates to federal funding & long term investment in health research Canada Pension Plan – Disability with respect to eligibility for persons with MS and other chronic and episodic disabilities Canada Health Transfer - health system funding transfer and agreements intended for provinces/territories to support the delivery of healthcare services, including MS care Canada Health Act and regulations, as it relates to long-term and home care Bill C-64, An Act Respecting Pharmacare with respect for persons with MS and other chronic conditions and disabilities Access to treatments as it relates to the current regulatory and price negotiation processes to enhance timely access to all Health Canada approved MS disease-modifying therapies, with respect to the National Strategy for Drugs for Rare Diseases and national pharmacare.

Federal AI Adoption capability for ISED as a federal department Joint health data proposal together with research hospitals Pan-Canadian AI Compute Environment (PAICE) program progress and AI compute Bill C-27: Artificial Intelligence and Data Act (AIDA) consultation

Seek increased funding for type 1 diabetes research Discussions and information sharing on improving regulatory pathways for cell and gene therapy Discussions and information sharing around: Procurement and tariffs impact Insulin production Stock piles To seek funding to expand the foundation's educational program to raise awarenes of type 1 diabetes and diabetes management in Canada. Ensuring Bill C-64, the National Pharmacare Act, meets the needs of Canadians living with type 1 diabetes by having adequate insulin and diabetes devices coverage, while respecting patient choice. Seek an increase funding for the Canadian Clinical Trial Network to find a cure for Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). Ongoing conversation with Health Minister's Office regarding JDRF-CIHR Partnership to Defeat Diabetes renewal funding. Meeting with Juvenile Diabetes Caucus Co-Chairs to discuss strategies and tactics to move JDRF Canada Pre-Budget Submission priorities forward including additional funding for research towards a cure for type 1 diabetes Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Strategy for Patient-Orientated Research (SPOR) Discussions with CIHR and SPOR Network about collaboration towards the creation of a type 1 diabètes registry

Health Infrastructure Fund - hospital infrastructure Bill C-265 - FDA amendments related to pre-approval of therapeutic products Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) - various bills, including with respect to advance requests and in the context of mental illness Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada with respect to artificial intelligence (AI) Investments in health research, commercialization support, and recruitment of scientists to Canada. Health care implications of an aging population; Senior care; Health research and innovation to address aging population implications Tri-Council - Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) with respect to research funding.

YOUNG TRAINEES AND STUDENTS: Advocate for continued support of and investment in the next generation of highly skilled researchers through the federal awards system for doctoral students, post-doctoral trainees and fellows. RESEARCH HOSPITALS: Advocate for direct support and stability for Canada's academic health science centres and research hospitals that will further enable them to fulfill their strategically critical contribution to Canada's health and economic security. INDUSTRY: Advocate for policies that enhance the health and biosciences sector’s capacity to do business in Canada and to invest in Canadian health research and commercialization. INDIRECT COSTS OF RESEARCH: Advocate for an increase to the minimum threshold for reimbursement of indirect research costs for all institutions via the Research Support Fund. INDIGENOUS RESEARCH: Advocate for greater investments in Indigenous health research through the three granting councils and the Canada Research Coordinating Committee. HEALTH RESEARCH: Focus on increasing public investments across the research spectrum of operating grants, people and infrastructure and encourages investments from private and private-not-for-profit sectors. GOVERNMENT FUNDING: Advocate for increased health research funding through the three granting councils (Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada) and the Canada Research Coordinating Committee. FEDERAL BUDGET CONSULTATION: Advocate for continued support of Canadian health research and health innovation through investments and commitments made in the federal budget, such as the Strategic Science Fund, the Canada Graduate Scholarship Program, etc. DIVERSE TALENT BASE: Advocate for better support for a diversified talent base in Canada, with a focus on Indigenous researchers, Black and people of colour researchers, early-career researchers, and other underrepresented and equity-deserving groups. DIGITAL HEALTH SYSTEM: Advocate for investment in the digitalization of our health system so that high-quality data and digital technologies support healthcare decisions, empower patients as partners, and drive research and innovation.

Support for new research and campus infrastructure. Increased funding and program design for various programs administered by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), and Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Funding or support with respect to international development cooperation (student and academic mobility, internships, research collaboration, exchanges, technical assistance). Discussions regarding possible research and development initiatives for, and investments in, partnerships with the University of Calgary. Discussions concerning potential research and development initiatives and investments related to clean energy, environmental research and climate change policy. Discussions about policy implementation regarding the academic visa process in support of international faculty recruitment with respect to changes to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. Budget bills in support of federal funding for post-secondary education, research, innovation, science and technology.