HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, April 6, 2009 — The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), announced today an investment of $7.9 million to fund eight new or renewed Canada Research Chairs in four universities in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador. This includes $321 880 from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) for research infrastructure to facilitate the work of two chairholders receiving funding under today's announcement.

“Our government recognizes the important role that research excellence plays in furthering innovation and competitiveness, two main elements in our science and technology strategy,” said Minister of State Goodyear. “This is why we announced a $5.1-billion investment in science and technology in Budget 2009 — Canada's Economic Action Plan. The Canada Research Chairs Program helps universities attract and retain the best researchers in Canada and in the world, which promotes job creation, enhances the quality of life of Canadians and strengthens the economy for future generations.”
Dr. Kevin Kelloway's research looks at how business leaders respond to job stress and how that response influences their leadership. His research measures the use and consequences of different leadership styles, evaluates the effectiveness of those styles in times of stress and, more importantly, examines the physical and emotional impact that both strong and weak leadership can have on employees. By exploring the attitudes and behaviour of leaders as well as the experiences of employees, Dr. Kelloway's research will help us understand the value of effective leadership in the workplace and what can be done to predict and prevent workplace violence and aggression.

“Since its inception, the Canada Research Chairs Program has helped to make Canadian universities world-class research centres,” said Dr. Chad Gaffield, president of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and chair of the program's steering committee. “By recruiting renowned experts and retaining them in Canada, our universities are able to create conducive environments for groundbreaking research, as well as highly stimulating settings for training the next generation of researchers and leaders from all sectors of society.”

“By investing in leading-edge research throughout the country, we are ensuring that Canada remains competitive in the knowledge economy,” said Dr. Eliot Phillipson, president and CEO of the CFI. “The partnership between the Chairs program and the CFI has allowed our universities to attract and retain the best and brightest minds amid intense sustained international competition.”

The eight chairholders receiving funding under today's announcement will conduct research in many different fields of direct interest to Canadians.