Tories’ election budget fails to hide cuts to research, innovation
Budget 2014 represents a subtle shift in the federal government’s strategy for the research and innovation file. With the next election on the near horizon, the Conservatives are now trying to hide their shortsighted cuts with lavish promises of billions in investments delayed over the next decade. Most of these commitments are slotted to […]
Canada needs a senior science and innovation minister
OTTAWA—When federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty announced his 10th budget on Feb. 11, he once again demonstrated that science, technology, and innovation suffer from that Ottawa affliction known as CPA, continuous partial attention. Budgets with this government and others before it are usually careful to make some sort of statement about the need to […]
Firms failing to measure progress on innovation
The federal government has put years of policy development and billions of dollars into improving Canada’s lagging innovation record, but 40 per cent of domestic firms aren’t even measuring their progress on innovation, according to the Conference Board of Canada. Forty per cent of Canadian firms do not use metrics to chart their innovation […]
Science strategy, research funding top priorities for Rickford in 2014
Minister of State of Science and Technology Greg Rickford hit the road last week to promote new long-term funding for academic research announced in the latest federal budget, but critics say the Canada First Research Excellence Fund lacks detail and doesn’t take effect for another year. The federal government announced a new 10-year, $1.5-billion […]
Our government’s telecommunications policy was not created overnight
The following is an edited copy of Industry Minister James Moore’s speech to the Canadian Club of Ottawa on Sept. 18. OTTAWA—Canadians have said consistently that their top priority for the Government of Canada is the economy and, as a result, our government has listened, is focused, and is delivering on key issues […]
Current status and future of Canadian science policy
As minister of state for science and technology, I’ve had the opportunity to meet Canadian innovators, academics and entrepreneurs across the country. Canada’s researchers bring great energy, intelligence and talent to science, technology and innovation from coast-to-coast-to-coast. I am consistently impressed with the depth and span of Canada’s innovation landscape. Our government remains committed […]
Federal scientists guided by government’s communications policy
(The following is an edited speech by Conservative MP Mike Lake, Parliamentary secretary to the minister of industry, on Oct. 28 in the House on whether or not federal government scientists are being muzzled by the government. He was asked about why hundreds of federal scientists, in a survey for the Professional Institute of […]
Getting innovation to market, encouraging an innovative ecosystem, culture
(The following is an edited excerpt of a speech by Michelle Rempel, minister of state for Western Economic Diversification in the House on Oct. 28 on Bill C-4, the Budget Implementation Act). It is time for us to take a look at the last five years of our country’s economy. If we rewind […]
Canada needs an innovation agenda directed by knowledge, not mythology
CALGARY, ALTA.—It has become almost a throwaway that innovation is vital for Canada’s future. Indeed, for any Canadian government these days, being against innovation is like being against hockey. But as often as we are told we are good at hockey, which is fairly easy to substantiate, we are told that we are […]
Tapping into Canada’s incredible storehouse of research opens potential
Nearly two years ago, Marie-Claude Héroux and Grégoire Dorval, the founders of Champignons Advitam Inc. in Saint-Ours, Que., were looking for a way to expand the product line of their mushroom business. A chance encounter with Université de Montréal biology professor Mohamed Hijri, an expert in fungi, was the beginning of a partnership that has helped Héroux and […]
