Conservatives steering us wide off the mark
Times of economic upheaval are usually when governments ramp up their creativity and introduce innovative solutions to their most pressing problems. For example, in late 2008 the Director of the UN Environment Programme and the UN secretary-general called on all heads of state to sign the Global Green New Deal, which was designed to encourage […]
Significant, even transformational, adjustments lie ahead on cutting GHGs
Climate change and Canada’s response to it have profound economic implications for our nation’s future. There are risks but there are also opportunities. We need to position ourselves to compete and prosper in an increasingly carbon-constrained global economy. Ensuring Canada is well-prepared to adapt and prosper as part of this new reality is the focus […]
Time for a strong minister of public health
TORONTO—Liberals venerate our public healthcare system, not only because they played a central role in creating it, but also because it has delivered better health for Canadians, so much so that many Canadians see it as a defining value for their country. But if former Bank of Canada governor David Dodge was right about sharply […]
Feds and Liberals should be offering more options to face challenges of an aging Canada
TORONTO—With his latest salvo on the nation’s finances, Kevin Page triggered predictable headlines warning that we faced huge costs as baby boomers headed for retirement. Canada, our Parliamentary budget officer warned, would be burdened by an unsustainable buildup in the public debt unless we met the challenge of an aging society soon. Yet while Page […]
Research and innovation: vital to Canada’s new economy
There is a growing worldwide consensus that countries which invest strategically and competitively in education, research and innovation will emerge from the global recession in a better position to lead on economic and social development. World-class research at Canadian universities and research institutes and the talent we foster, are the lifeblood of global knowledge societies. […]
A stronger knowledge union: renewing the Canada-U.S. science and technology partnership
MONTREAL—As the federal government moves to integrate, and otherwise harmonize economic, security and environment approaches to those of the U.S., an opportunity is perhaps emerging to consider strengthening the Canada-U.S. innovation space. After all, it is arguably the world’s most extensive knowledge relationship where more than one-third of the world’s R&D is conducted, and where […]
Canada consistently fails grade as innovation nation
Canada has consistently received a failing grade as an innovation nation, but it can do better by making the research and development environment more conducive to commercialization, and continuing to fund science and technology, say experts. In its report “How Canada Performs,” released on Feb. 2, the Conference Board of Canada gave Canada a “D” […]
Social scientists, humanists helping Canada harness the power of technology
The great Canadian thinker, Marshall McLuhan, would have enjoyed the recent cover of The Economist that portrayed Steve Jobs as Moses coming down from Mount Sinai to deliver his new iPad to the world. McLuhan’s famous insight that ‘the medium is the message’ resonates more than ever as new digital technologies extend our ideas and […]
Clean technologies can give Canada competitive edge in global marketplace
Canada is fortunate to have extensive natural resources which underpin our economy. Whether it be energy, agriculture or forestry, we owe it to ourselves to maximize the value of these natural resources by increasing their utilization as well as efficiency of production. In an increasingly competitive world, with economies that have lower wage and cost […]
Canada could be a leader in digital economy, says Goodyear
Canada can and should be a leader in the digital economy, says Gary Goodyear, minister of state for Science and Technology, but it will only happen with governments, academia and business working together. The government has already publicly announced the need for a nationwide strategy for the digital economy, said Mr. Goodyear (Cambridge, Ont.), also […]
