‘Still a mess, still needs a lot of work’: Shared Services Canada gets new master under digital government minister
With the responsibility for Shared Services Canada now squarely under Minister of Digital Government Joyce Murray, PIPSC president Debi Daviau says the move seems like “a natural progression towards trying to get a handle on the government of Canada’s IT systems, which everybody knows could really use the attention.” “From my perspective, overall what Shared […]
Leave politics out of decision about Huawei’s 5G future in Canada
For some time, I have noticed that Huawei’s 5G has been a hot topic of discussion in Canadian media recently. There are different opinions across Canada about whether Huawei should be allowed to participate in Canada’s 5G network construction or not. In my opinion, 5G development, utilization, and co-operation should not be politicized. Huawei is […]
Why Canada needs to take the plunge on AI
Canada has received acclaim around the world for supporting researchers, like Dr. Jeffery Hinton, who pioneered the deep learning approaches that have led to an explosion in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Accenture estimates AI has the potential to double economic growth rates by 2035, and in the private sector, we are witnessing tremendous adoption of […]
Premiers’ nuclear announcement a potential boon, but issues remain: experts
Canadian nuclear energy experts say the recent announcement by three provincial premiers of plans to develop small and modular nuclear reactor technology, which could provide large amounts of greenhouse gas-free electricity, but one environmental expert says serious issues with the technology remain. On Dec. 1, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, and New […]
‘Small but mighty’: New Democrats say they’re up to the task as MPs pile on critic jobs
The NDP’s lead critics say they’re feeling good about their “small but mighty” caucus, which they say can bring change in a minority government and attention to their “critical work” by hammering home the party’s “widely popular” priorities. At the Nov. 28 critic announcement, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh (Burnaby South, B.C.) said he was proud […]
Time is now for the House to work together on new ways to tackle the country’s biggest issues
Parliament resumes sitting soon and with a minority government, the 43rd Parliament promises to be a bumpy ride. This parliamentary session has the added burden of regional polarization, with western alienation at a boiling point in Alberta and Saskatchewan, and a revived Bloc Québécois in the east. Add these challenges to slow growth, declining business […]
Aerospace industry, union making push for national aerospace strategy
The Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC) and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) are looking to pressure the new minority Parliament to implement a national aerospace strategy to make the Canadian aerospace sector more globally competitive and to combat what they say is a looming skills shortage facing the industry. To […]
Innovation Policy Briefing
Research will solidify Canada’s cannabis advantage
Researchers use milestones and anniversaries as opportunities to stop and reflect on their projects, take stock of accomplishments and identify what still needs to be done. So, as we pass the one-year anniversary of the Cannabis Act, let’s stop for a moment and do just that. Initial challenges around policy and regulation, industrial production, and […]
Last chance to lobby MPs sees June numbers shrink, with influencers eyeing the campaign season
The waning days of the House’s busy legislative calendar were coupled with an unsurprising dip in lobbying, but some were making the most of the last month with MPs in Ottawa before an extended break for the campaign ahead of an October election. With party platforms still being written, June was a good time for […]
