Strong privacy laws needed in digital age
OTTAWA—Privacy laws around the world may differ on certain issues, but all share a key principle: the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information requires user consent. The challenge in a digital world where data is continuously collected and can be used in a myriad of previously unimaginable ways is how to ensure that the […]
Angel investors key to creating a 21st-century innovation economy
VANCOUVER—Entrepreneurship is thriving in Canada, but we must provide it with the fuel it needs for growth. In Canada, we chronically undercapitalize our promising companies, leaving many entrepreneurs struggling to find early-stage risk capital just when they need it most. As a result, many look to the U.S., where capital is easier to secure, and […]
Never mind Trump, look what Clinton’s saying
TORONTO—Donald Trump gets more of the headlines. But if we are smart, we should be paying more attention to Hillary Clinton. She is more likely to be the next American president, and she is setting out a platform that has important implications for Canada. At the top of the list is trade. While Clinton is […]
If only I had chickens around, I might not have gotten malaria
LONDON, U.K.—I had malaria once, and it was extremely unpleasant. I had been working in Yemen, but I actually contracted it when I was flying home. The flight made a stop in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, and the plane was parked out on the runway while waiting to pick up passengers, right on the edge […]
Why a West Coast aquarium is working with the feds to study the Arctic
Not long after the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre first opened its doors six decades ago, a team of adventurous employees and researchers travelled to the Arctic to explore the icy, windswept reaches of Canada’s North. In the years since, our Arctic research expeditions have become an annual practice, with scientists heading north each summer […]
Government group cites tech as key to energy future
Perhaps taking its lead from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s comments earlier this year about wanting Canada to be known more for its “resourcefulness” as opposed to its “resources,” an organization within the federal government says Canada’s energy future may lie in technological innovation, rather than in fossil fuels. Policy Horizons Canada’s document, entitled Canada in a […]
Opposition slams government for removing regional development cabinet posts
A former Conservative MP is accusing the Liberal government of being “shortsighted” for eliminating separate cabinet posts for regional economic development agencies, saying the decision has cost communities an invaluable and knowledgable senior-level advocate. Scott Armstrong, who represented a central Nova Scotia riding from 2009 until his defeat in the 2015 election, said the decision by the […]
Priority setting in the knowledge ecosystem
As the federal government contemplates a considered course on fundamental science and the Council of Canadian Academies reboots another assessment of the state of science, technology, and innovation in Canada, it is worth remembering why we do these exercises. The reasons can be numerous: to improve global prestige, enhance culture, develop excellence, achieve breakthroughs, strengthen […]
File sharing lawsuit could upend copyright privacy protections
The centerpiece of Canada’s 2012 digital copyright reforms was the legal implementation of the “notice-and-notice” system that seeks to balance the interests of copyright holders, the privacy rights of internet users, and the legal obligations of internet service providers (ISPs). The law makes it easy for copyright owners to send infringement notices to ISPs, who […]
Innovation Minister Bains most lobbied minister in Trudeau cabinet
Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains is easily the most lobbied member of the Trudeau cabinet in the Liberal government’s term so far. Mr. Bains (Mississauga-Malton, Ont.), the top official of the newly named department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (formerly Industry Canada), had 116 communication reports filed since the new government took office in […]
