Research that has taken years to bear fruit or that is still waiting to show a result that politicians can see or touch, can be a tough sell for Genome Alberta and all the other Genome Centres across the country.

That understanding got a big boost this week when Genome Canada organized the 3rd Genomics on the Hill event in the Commonwealth Room on Parliament Hill. I had the opportunity to attend, meet some of our scientists from across the country, and talk to the politicians.

It was an organizational challenge to encourage MPs, Senators, and senior staff to attend; followed by the challenge of presenting them with information they could understand and framed in a way that made it relevant.

Genome Canada was up to the organizational challenge and several of the researchers put their back into presenting the science. Some excellent posters were set up, and I was impressed at the level of interest from the politicos. They really took the time to ask questions and understand what was going on with the research work across the country. With federal money invested in our projects it is important to make sure the politicians know where the money is going and that it is yielding solid results.

This year, the event show cased the two themes that were chosen for inclusion in our Strategic Research Investment Portfolio and four research projects:

Project Theme	Project Theme Representatives
Agriculture – Plants	Wilf Keller
Bioproducts	Bill Mohn & Carl Douglas
Hap Map/Cancer Genomics	Tom Hudson & Steve Jones
Barcode of Life	Paul Heber
Diagnostics	Michel Bergeron
Atlantic Medical Genetics and Genomics Initiative	Pat Parfrey & Terry Lynn Young

I was also impressed by the number of officials who found the time to attend. Notable names included Minister of Fiance Jim Flaherty, Minster of Fisheries and Oceans Loyola Hearn, Minister of Defence and Minister for Atlantic Canada Opportunities Peter McKay, Minster of Foreign Affairs Maxine Bernier, and Government House Leader Peter Van Loan. Alberta MPs Rob Anders, Leon Benoit, Mike Lake, Deepak Obhrai, Rob Merrifield, James Rajotte, Lee Richardson, and Kevin Sorenson were also on hand.

The attendance probably got a boost from Alberta MP James Rajotte (Leduc – CPC ) when he rose at the beginning of question period that afternoon and made the following statement:

“ Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge Genome Canada. Since its inception in 2000, Genome Canada has built a strong research enterprise, allowing Canadian genomics scientists to gain well-deserved respect and credibility for the work they have accomplished on both the national and the international scenes.

The government's investment in Genome Canada will enable this scientific community to continue their important work of providing cutting edge research in key sectors such as agriculture, energy, the environment, fisheries, forestry, health, and new technology development that will help shape the future.

Later this afternoon, some of the world's leading scientists in genomics and proteomics research will be showcasing their projects in the Commonwealth room. During this exhibit, these scientists will demonstrate how they have achieved success in key research areas and also raise awareness of strategic research priorities of importance to the Canadian economy and society.

I encourage all my colleagues to walk down to the Commonwealth room to visit this important exhibit. “

Genomics on the Hill is an important event and I hope will go some distance in ensuring that funding for genome-related projects remains strong.

And for those of you who may wonder what the catering is like on Parliament Hill, I can assure you it was good. Not lavish as you might be tempted to imagine, but plentiful and well prepared.