Goodyear says Canada must turn its lacklustre innovation record around
Gary Goodyear, minister of state for Science and Technology, says in this fragile world economic recovery, the federal government is focusing on creating jobs, promoting economic growth, and he is urging Canadian businesses to invest more in research and development. “The future standard of living of Canadian families is directly connected to how productive […]
Trudeau introduced multiculturalism 40 years ago this week
OTTAWA—Forty years ago this week, Pierre Trudeau introduced multiculturalism to Canada and the world. It was a policy that had all-party support then and continues to enjoy wide support today, at least in Parliament. But it has not been a policy without its critics and controversy. Forty years is a long time in public […]
‘Everyone wants what Canada has,’ says leading biotechnology industry association
Canada’s leading biotechnology industry association says it’s boosting the country’s potential to capitalize on abundant natural opportunities, and strong research and development capabilities within our borders. President and CEO of BIOTECanada, Peter Brenders, praised biotech as the “technology that is going to solve all our problems,” noting that “it enables so much,” in industries […]
Canada’s current IP regime lags behind U.S., EU in protecting biotech research and development
While industry stakeholders readily acknowledge that progress has been made in the field of intellectual property (IP) law over the past 25 years, more is required for Canadian companies to truly compete with their American and European counterparts. As Rx&D President Russell Williams wrote in a Hill Times column, Canadian companies’ ability to garner […]
BIOTECanada’s goal: make Canada a biotech world leader by 2020
The biotechnology sector in Canada is on the verge of something very big, says BIOTECanada president Peter Brenders. “Biotech is the technology that is going to solve all the world’s problems,” Mr. Brenders told The Hill Times confidently, adding that Canada is poised to become a global leader in the industry if the right […]
Government recently squandered opportunity to take giant leap forward in battle against AIDS
The development of bio-technology products requires substantial capital investment on timescales of up to a decade. This means that investors in the sector seek stable business conditions and long-term, predictable government policy. The current federal government boasts of being a “strong stable majority” government, but its record on stable policies to nurture growth in […]
Ontario, Quebec bring trade cooperation to shared life sciences industry
Ontario and Quebec are looking to raise the international profile of their combined life sciences industries, but their plan’s success will be measured by its ability to spur investment. Earlier this summer, the provinces announced the Québec-Ontario Life Sciences Corridor on the eve of the Biotechnology Industry Organization’s international convention in Washington D.C., which […]
Feds urged to show stronger leadership on biotech
It’s been four years since the government introduced its Science and Technology Strategy, and industry insiders say it’s time for the federal government to show renewed leadership in making Canada a world leader in biotechnology. Soon after forming government in 2006, the Conservatives scrapped the Canadian Biotechnology Advisory Committee, which advised the government and […]
Private investment in Canada’s biotech sector hits a 10-year low
Canada’s biotechnology sector is hard up for capital, and insiders are calling on the government and the industry to get creative when it comes to attracting investment. According to an industry assessment published by Ernst & Young earlier this summer, private investment in Canada’s biotechnology sector hit a 10-year low in 2010. The report […]
Federal government an extraordinarily secretive organization
For all the talk of an information society, our federal government is an extraordinarily secretive organization. It seems it’s dedicated to providing as little information as possible to Canadians on how their tax dollars are spent or on how spending priorities are chosen and investment decisions made. Science and technology policy—how to make Canada an […]
