Feds refuse to talk to our innovators about how things might be improved
Policy leaders across the world’s most advanced countries loudly proclaim economic advancement within the 21st century will rely increasingly on innovation and technology. Many have successfully implemented strategies to increase innovation. In order to boost competitiveness, such as massive investments in science and technology and empowering their country’s best minds to explore and discover. […]
No guarantee CETA concessions will bolster pharmaceutical R&D investment in Canada
Canada-Europe free trade negotiations are entering the final stages, and stricter patent protection for prescription drugs is on the table. The deal could mean higher costs for Canadians, but experts say there’s no guarantee it will revitalize Canada’s pharmaceutical R&D sector. The federal government is considering significant changes to its intellectual property (IP) regime […]
Carbon pricing driving innovation in British Columbia and Alberta
The federal government says carbon pricing is off the table, but if it changes its mind it can look to Canada’s western-most provinces for inspiration. Alberta has had a carbon tax in place since 2007, while British Columbia has been taxing emissions since 2008, and there are signs that the programs are promoting innovation […]
Industry-led R&D a top priority in feds’ five-year agriculture plan
Agriculture Canada is partnering with the provinces and territories to invest $3-billion in agricultural innovation over the next five years, but opposition parties are raising concerns that the funding comes at the expense of business risk management programs that protect farmers in bad years. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz (Battlefords-Lloydminster, Sask.) told The Hill Times […]
Digital media industry looks to leverage federal support into international advantage
Canada’s digital media industry is hoping that with a little support from the federal government it will be able to solidify the country’s position as a worldwide hub for digital media innovation. “We think that Canada is well-poised to stake a massive claim as a key digital entertainment cluster,” Canadian Film Centre chief digital […]
Canada must continue to prioritize innovation
As 2012 draws to a close, our country has much to celebrate. We have earned the reputation among our international peers as an innovative and hard-working nation. Some of this success can be attributed to the government’s deft handling of the economy during a highly uncertain period. Canada weathered the global recession better than […]
‘The knowledge-based economy is upon us’: minister of state for science Goodyear
Minister of State for Science and Technology Gary Goodyear may have one of the most important low-profile jobs in Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Cabinet. While other members of the government must often defend their decisions, and sometimes their jobs, before Parliament, Mr. Goodyear has spent the past four years shaping how the federal government […]
Agriculture Policy Briefing
Food and food safety top-of-mind
Food and food safety are top-of-mind issues for Canadians. The deaths caused by listeriosis contamination at the Maple Leaf plant remains a serious warning of the perils of losing food inspectors. Meanwhile, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has a credibility problem. CFIA has an inherent conflict of interest, mandated to regulate for food safety, […]
Turning a blind eye to a world of opportunity
Population growth, economic expansion, and changing diets across the developing world are fuelling an unrelenting rise in the demand for food and creating a tremendous opportunity for agricultural powers like Canada. According to the UN the world’s population will reach eight billion in 2028, up from six billion in 1999. The FAO predicts the average […]
