Legal status of patented genes in Canada remains unclear, though recent settlement should defuse tension, say experts
A landmark settlement reached earlier this year over diagnostic testing is being lauded as a potential solution to the ethical and legal quagmire presented by genes patented by private companies. Work is currently underway to help develop a framework for provincial governments, on behalf of their publicly-operated hospitals, to appeal for legal use of patented genetic material […]
Investing in science drives innovation
Science policy in Canada should create an environment that encourages Canadians to lead in research, to drive innovation, and should result in economic growth and jobs through effective commercialization. As the critic for science for the official opposition, the approach taken this parliamentary session was a fresh perspective; to collaborate with the minister of science […]
Biotechnology and Life Sciences
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 […]
