Johnston’s call for a smart nation timely
OTTAWA—If nothing else he is clear and has a vision. “I see my role as a bridge in bringing people of all backgrounds and ages together to create a smart and caring nation,” said David Johnston in his recent installation speech as Canada’s new Governor General. You can take the boy out of Waterloo but […]
Clement says biggest challenge is boosting Canada’s performance in business innovation
Industry Minister Tony Clement says Canada leads in many technological and innovative areas and the government is helping to create opportunities for the business and research communities, but also acknowledges the feds have to do more, especially since the Conference Board of Canada has given Canada a ‘D’ grade for its innovation environment since the […]
Canada risks not seeing green economy of tomorrow
Earlier this year the Bank of Canada Governor, Mark Carney, characterized Canada’s productivity record as “abysmal” and made business executives the focus of this disappointment. Indiscriminate corporate tax cuts by both the Conservative and previous Liberal governments have not improved Canada’s decades-long poor performance on this front. It is a failed strategy. The continual erosion […]
Fostering a culture of innovation in Canada
Canada is home to advanced research communities with world-class infrastructure and an excellent base of highly-trained people. Connecting to the right opportunities for partnership can help R&D-performing businesses capitalize on this tremendous base to make Canadian firms more innovative, productive and competitive. The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) is committed to […]
Forest industry at a crossroads at dawn of third millennium
The forest industry is at the heart of the economy in Quebec’s regions. Close to 90,000 Quebecers work in logging camps, sawmills, and pulp and paper mills, which are the primary employers in 230 towns and villages across Quebec. In total, approximately one-third of the forestry activity in Canada is concentrated in Quebec. The importance […]
Canada tops at R&D investment, but domestic commercialization difficult
While Canada has been recognized for pumping billions of dollars into public sector research and development and having one of the most generous R&D tax credit programs in the world, industrial R&D spending hasn’t picked up and the transformation of work from the lab bench into products in the hands of consumers has proven to […]
Industry players still waiting for government’s national digital strategy
While some industry players say they’re happy the federal government is crafting a national digital economy strategy, they question the government’s understanding of the digital economy and why it isn’t moving faster to support it given that Canada has been falling behind its peers in internet-related benchmarks. Industry Minister Tony Clement (Parry Sound-Muskoka, Ont.), in […]
Jean was a GG like no other
OTTAWA—She did her five years as Governor General and the occasion begs a few questions: How did Michaëlle Jean perform in this lofty position? What did she accomplish? What was her style? And what is her legacy? It will be said that Michaëlle Jean was a GG like no other. While she performed her constitutional […]
Innovation lagging, but feds promise comprehensive review of R&D support, says Clement
The Canadian biotechnology industry has a competitive advantage but organizations such as the Council of Canadian Academies and the Science, Technology and Innovation Council recognize that business innovation is also lagging behind other comparable countries. It’s why the government will conduct a comprehensive review of its support for research and development, says Industry Minister Tony […]
Biotechnology agriculture industry lobbies hard against Atamanenko’s private member’s bill
An NDP private member’s bill had the biotechnology industry lobbying Parliamentarians last week that if they pass it into law, it could stifle future Canadian innovation of new crop varieties and cause the agricultural biotechnology industry to stagnate. Meanwhile, organic growers, the National Farmers Union and others are urging Parliamentarians to support the bill to […]
