Post-secondary, private sector collaboration an increasingly popular policy tool for innovation
Partnerships between the private sector and post-secondary institutions are becoming an increasingly-popular policy tool as the federal government looks to improve Canada’s innovation track record by leveraging its funding to colleges and universities. Post-secondary—private sector partnerships were on the agenda at the Conference Board of Canada’s Business Innovation Summit last week in Toronto. Minister […]
We’re advancing the innovation agenda
The success of economies around the world rests on one factor more than any other: the ability of their public and private sectors to innovate. Authoritative bodies here at home and abroad all agree on this. One has only to consult recent reports by the Institute for Competitiveness and Prosperity, the Expert Panel on […]
Canada’s digital strategy stalls
It’s been more than two years since the federal government held online consultations on a strategy to develop Canada’s digital economy and Industry Canada has yet release a plan, despite assurances by Industry Minister Christian Paradis to introduce a strategy by the end of 2012. Speaking with The Hill Times, Minister of State for Science […]
Feds look to bolster business innovation
Minister of State for Science and Technology Gary Goodyear says that new investments in small and mid-size business innovation are part of a wider strategy to bolster innovation and commercialization in Canada, but critics say the federal government’s approach still falls short nearly a year and a half after the release of the Jenkins […]
Time for Ottawa to embrace Idle No More
OTTAWA—“Idle No More movement fizzles out, analyst finds” declared a Calgary headline last week. Mark Blevis who bills himself as a digital public affairs strategist tracked the amount of digital traffic—on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, blogs, online forums and online news—and found an 84 per cent drop over four weeks. The thing is, that’s really […]
Canada can end chronic homelessness, it’s a health issue
TORONTO, ONT.—We have the knowledge, the evidence, and the strategies to improve the plight of those who fall between the cracks and stay there for long periods of time. But every night, the shelters continue to fill up, and every day, the many people who are homeless on our streets watch as we pass […]
Standardize clinical trials to gain global attraction, says Senate committee
The Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology is calling on the federal government to standardize ethics reviews and establish a national framework for clinical trials in Canada in order boost its international appeal, but while the committee’s recommendations to increase clinical trial activity in Canada have been well-received by some academics, Urszula […]
Obesity costs Ontario taxpayers an estimated $2.2-billion and $2.5-billion each year, says Ontario Medical Association
An estimated one-quarter of Canadians is obese, and with high fat, sugary and processed foods easily available, governments around the world are searching for the right approach to encourage healthy eating. Some groups are advocating for government regulation of industry, while others are calling on the implementation of “fat taxes,” but Harvey Anderson, director […]
Canadian health-care innovations in the 21st Century
Many innovative ideas and practices are emerging to address healthcare challenges today. This includes technological innovation, e-health, and tele-robotics, to name a few. These innovative practices are found in local hospitals, long-term care facilities, universities, and in the ranks of health-care providers and patients. The House of Commons Standing Committee on Health passed […]
Independent research questions hospital mortality stats
Recently-published independent research has called into question the integrity of an index for measuring the quality of care in Canadian hospitals, but the Canadian Institute for Health Information says that there’s been no evidence of statistical manipulation since it began publicly releasing the data in 2007. The research, published on the British Medical Journal’s […]
