  Massive stars are those stars with initial masses above about 8 times that of
the sun, eventually leading to catastrophic explosions in the form of
supernovae. These represent the most massive and luminous stellar component of
the Universe, and are the crucibles in which the lion's share of the chemical
elements are forged. These rapidly-evolving stars drive the chemistry,
structure and evolution of galaxies, dominating the ecology of the Universe -
not only as supernovae, but also during their entire lifetimes - with
far-reaching consequences.
  Although the existence of magnetic fields in massive stars is no longer in
question, our knowledge of the basic statistical properties of massive star
magnetic fields is seriously incomplete. The Magnetism in Massive Stars (MiMeS)
Project represents a comprehensive, multidisciplinary strategy by an
international team of recognized researchers to address the "big questions"
related to the complex and puzzling magnetism of massive stars. This paper
present the first results of the MiMeS Large Program at the
Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope.
