Trudeau Foundation Appoints Top Policy Expert as President

Former Health Canada Chief Scientist will bridge science and humanities disciplines.

Montréal, November 1^st, 2006 -The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation today announced the appointment of former Health Canada Chief Scientist Pierre-Gerlier Forest as President of the Foundation. P.G. Forest is an internationally acclaimed authority and pioneer in the field of citizen engagement. He begins his presidency at the Trudeau Foundation on November 13.

"The cornerstone of our Foundation's success has been its grounding in the social sciences and humanities, but today's policy agenda is increasingly defined and shaped by the interaction of diverse disciplines, so we sought a new President who can bridge many worlds," said Roy L. Heenan, Chairman of the Board of the Trudeau Foundation. "P.G. Forest's impressive credentials as a researcher, policy-maker and leader in the field of knowledge exchange and application will enable him to forge important new partnerships for the Foundation with the private sector, the public sector and academia."

"The opportunity to join some of the finest thinkers at the forefront of an innovative dialogue on crucial societal issues is one I could not pass," said Forest. "I am fortunate to arrive at a time when the Foundation has gained solid momentum, and is about to launch an especially timely and relevant dialogue on Muslims in Western Societies."

The Trudeau Conference on Muslims in Western Societies will take place in Vancouver from November 16 to 18.

Forest succeeds Stephen Toope, who was appointed President of the University of British Columbia in July 2006. Dr. Frederick Lowy, former President of Concordia University, has guided the Foundation as Interim President this fall.

"We are grateful to have a highly respected academic leader overseeing the Foundation's activities until P.G. Forest can join us, and we look forward to continuing our relationship with Dr. Lowy for many years to come," said Foundation Board Member Alexandre Trudeau.

P.G. Forest spent most of his academic career at Université Laval, where he is a full professor in policy analysis and public management with the Department of Political Science. In 2002, he was Research Director of the Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada (Romanow Commission).