Canada profiled its efforts to prevent the spread of infectious diseases at the 25th Carnegie Meeting of G-8 science ministers held June 12-13 in Germany. The presentation was made by secretary of state for science, research and development Dr Rey Pagtakhan. He outlined Canada’s recent experience with SARS and Mad Cow disease and the sequencing of the corona virus implicated in SARS at the BC Cancer Agency. Pagtakhan also described the role the social sciences and humanities play in Canada’s Innovation Agenda. Other issues addressed by the G-8 science ministers included global sensing, big science, regional science and technology policies. The Carnegie Meetings are frank, off-line discussions between science ministers without the presence of media or aides....