Canada should have national food policy, say political parties’ agriculture critics
Canada needs a national food strategy, but governments don’t have the political will to create one, say opposition MPs, however, the government says just because agriculture policies don’t have a “food strategy” label it does not mean the government doesn’t have one. “It’s unbelievable that we as a country don’t have a national food policy […]
Are agriculture numbers telling us to do something differently?
“Men, women and families who produce primary food are barely surviving economically, and too often they are not surviving at all. There is no way of avoiding the conclusion that many are locked in a deep and continuing economic crisis.” The preceding statement was presented to federal and provincial ministers of agriculture in a 2005 […]
Improving competitiveness and food sovereignty go hand-in-hand
“Competitiveness” is often assumed to be about market liberalization and deregulation. In Quebec, the agricultural sector, in particular, but also the public, at large, is increasingly aware that liberalization and deregulation can backfire. That is why food sovereignty has become an unavoidable issue when improving competitiveness is on the agenda. Food sovereignty is a nation’s […]
Feds need a food strategy
After years of deteriorating farm income, mounting debt and ill-designed income stability programs, can life on Canadian farms get worse? It certainly appears so. The government is forecasting that the price of many farm commodities will decline in 2010. And despite a complete overhaul by the Conservative government, farm income programs are causing the same […]
Orphan crops can turn into winners, say IDRC experts
The food security of a billion people on the planet is threatened by climate change, increased demand, and volatile prices. In the face of these grave threats, the recent G8 and G20 meetings reaffirmed the need to take urgent action to assure food security for the world’s most vulnerable. One of the ways of achieving […]
A new model of innovation for successful societies
OTTAWA—As the first decade of the 21st century draws to a close, a new model of innovation is placing people squarely at centre stage. In recent decades, the dominant concept of innovation has evolved from a linear-transfer “push” model, to a more iterative “chain-link” model, and most recently to a complex model connecting researchers to […]
Feds need to tap into global innovation opportunities
Although the federal government is doing a good job at investing in research and development, Canada is still in the bottom half of OECD countries when it comes to innovation and both businesses and governments should be looking at different ways to tap into global innovation opportunities, say experts. “I think the first thing that […]
Canada needs a branding makeover in global, knowledge-based economy
Many would agree that the beaver, a traditional national branding symbol, just doesn’t quite cut it in a rapidly-changing, highly-mobile, knowledge-based economy. Don’t get me wrong, beavers are cute, if you like water rodents. The mascot of our five-cent coin, the beaver symbolizes the amiable industriousness often associated with Canada. Advertising professionals will tell you […]
Time to tackle Canada’s productivity challenge
The global economy is experiencing the biggest downturn since the Great Depression, and according to the IMF, this is the first time in 60 years that it will shrink. The federal government reacted swiftly by implementing Canada’s Economic Action Plan, providing $40-billion over two years in stimulus. When combined with provincial funds, the total stimulus […]
Key to robust innovation lies in effective matchmaking between scientists and stakeholders
WATERLOO, ONT.—When budgets are tightened in industry and government, research laboratories are traditionally the first to feel the effects. I believe that knowledge transfer between research and its beneficiaries, advocates, and stakeholders is essential to protect project development and stimulate innovation at a time when it is most needed. But efficient knowledge transfer and uptake […]
