Letter from the Chair, Board of Trustees

It is with a mix of joy and sadness that I write this letter for the Foundation’s 2008 annual report. The joy comes from my reflecting on the year’s highlights and recognizing the tremendous progress the Foundation has made, and continues to make, on advancing its mission and vision. The sadness comes from knowing that this is my last year as a member and chair of the Board of Trustees.

Therefore, in this report, I find myself thinking about what the Foundation has accomplished. Rarely have I seen such an unwavering devotion to a cause!

The Foundation, through its staff members, volunteers, external partners and Board members, has demonstrated a relentless commitment to finding innovative ways to honour its mission: to foster knowledge transfer and exchange, provide funding, encourage partnerships, build capacity, and promote the use of research evidence.

If you have been to some CHSRF events, you may have heard me recount the story of the inuksuk. Created by the Inuit people, the inuksuk is a carefully balanced formation of rocks and stones that forms the image of a person. Although an inuksuk is often perceived as an art form, it was originally envisioned as a valuable communication tool used by nomadic tribes to tell a story or to provide practical information to those who come upon it. Through the inuksuk, a sense of community is cultivated. And the inukshuk can only be built with broken stones.

The construction of the inuksuk reminds me of CHSRF. The Foundation was originally presented with “piles of stones” from the Canadian health system. Instead of viewing those stones as obstacles, the Foundation has used them to build something constructive and powerful. Showing true leadership, it has consistently risen to the challenge of promoting and supporting evidence-informed decision-making through its many and diverse activities. It is a true innovator in finding new ways to ensure that Canada’s health system is driven by solid policy and management decisions. Like the inuksuk, the Foundation has encouraged the creation of a community devoted to a vision.

The Foundation’s “inuksuk” was not built by one person, but rather, by a team of devoted staff members and exceptional leaders. In 2008, we were blessed to have George Tilley as interim President and Chief Executive Officer. Although we knew he would lead the Foundation for only a short time, we are delighted that his wisdom and guidance have proven to be far-reaching, and for that we are very grateful. He made certain that the commitment to “making research work” was steadfast as we searched for a permanent CEO who would embrace the Foundation’s vision and continue to build on its successes.

We have found such a person in Maureen O’Neil. With her exceptional experience in forging partnerships and leading several high-profile organizations, we knew she would be ideally suited for the role. Ms. O’Neil became our Chief Executive Officer in September, and in her few short months with us has already risen to the challenge of leading the Foundation in using evidence-informed decision-making to improve the quality of Canada’s healthcare services.

As my time as Chair nears its conclusion, I am moved by a deep pride in our organization and a deep gratitude for all those who make the Foundation a vital part of Canada’s health system. Though I will miss actively contributing through such an innovative and exciting organization, as a citizen I am content in knowing that the Foundation’s staff members, Board of Trustees, and partners will remain focused in their commitment to improving our health system. They will continue to build their inuksuk.

It has been a privilege and a blessing for me to have been a part of the Foundation for 10 tremendous years. May all of you who continue to be part of this great organization be blessed as you live the vision and mission of the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation.

Elizabeth M. Davis, RSM
Chair, Board of Trustees
Canadian Health Services
Research Foundation

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Governance 2008-2009 Board of Trustees and Committee Members Letter from the Chair, Board of Trustees Letter from the President and Chief Executive Officer The Cornerstones of Innovation Incubation Strategic Objective #1 Strategic Objective #2 Strategic Objective #3 Strategic Objective #4 EXTRA Researcher on Call A Model of Organizational Excellence Accountability Endowment and Financial Management Statement of Financial Position Statement of Operations	Letter from the Chair, Board of Trustees It is with a mix of joy and sadness that I write this letter for the Foundation’s 2008 annual report. The joy comes from my reflecting on the year’s highlights and recognizing the tremendous progress the Foundation has made, and continues to make, on advancing its mission and vision. The sadness comes from knowing that this is my last year as a member and chair of the Board of Trustees. Therefore, in this report, I find myself thinking about what the Foundation has accomplished. Rarely have I seen such an unwavering devotion to a cause! The Foundation, through its staff members, volunteers, external partners and Board members, has demonstrated a relentless commitment to finding innovative ways to honour its mission: to foster knowledge transfer and exchange, provide funding, encourage partnerships, build capacity, and promote the use of research evidence. If you have been to some CHSRF events, you may have heard me recount the story of the inuksuk. Created by the Inuit people, the inuksuk is a carefully balanced formation of rocks and stones that forms the image of a person. Although an inuksuk is often perceived as an art form, it was originally envisioned as a valuable communication tool used by nomadic tribes to tell a story or to provide practical information to those who come upon it. Through the inuksuk, a sense of community is cultivated. And the inukshuk can only be built with broken stones. The construction of the inuksuk reminds me of CHSRF. The Foundation was originally presented with “piles of stones” from the Canadian health system. Instead of viewing those stones as obstacles, the Foundation has used them to build something constructive and powerful. Showing true leadership, it has consistently risen to the challenge of promoting and supporting evidence-informed decision-making through its many and diverse activities. It is a true innovator in finding new ways to ensure that Canada’s health system is driven by solid policy and management decisions. Like the inuksuk, the Foundation has encouraged the creation of a community devoted to a vision. The Foundation’s “inuksuk” was not built by one person, but rather, by a team of devoted staff members and exceptional leaders. In 2008, we were blessed to have George Tilley as interim President and Chief Executive Officer. Although we knew he would lead the Foundation for only a short time, we are delighted that his wisdom and guidance have proven to be far-reaching, and for that we are very grateful. He made certain that the commitment to “making research work” was steadfast as we searched for a permanent CEO who would embrace the Foundation’s vision and continue to build on its successes. We have found such a person in Maureen O’Neil. With her exceptional experience in forging partnerships and leading several high-profile organizations, we knew she would be ideally suited for the role. Ms. O’Neil became our Chief Executive Officer in September, and in her few short months with us has already risen to the challenge of leading the Foundation in using evidence-informed decision-making to improve the quality of Canada’s healthcare services. As my time as Chair nears its conclusion, I am moved by a deep pride in our organization and a deep gratitude for all those who make the Foundation a vital part of Canada’s health system. Though I will miss actively contributing through such an innovative and exciting organization, as a citizen I am content in knowing that the Foundation’s staff members, Board of Trustees, and partners will remain focused in their commitment to improving our health system. They will continue to build their inuksuk. It has been a privilege and a blessing for me to have been a part of the Foundation for 10 tremendous years. May all of you who continue to be part of this great organization be blessed as you live the vision and mission of the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation. Elizabeth M. Davis, RSM Chair, Board of Trustees Canadian Health Services Research Foundation