Sajjan says $2.3B of defence budget not spent, promises increased transparency
National Defence did not spend its entire $6.2-billion budget, with $2.3-billion left over in the first year since the feds unveiled its new defence policy, said Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan on Wednesday during an industry event, where he gave an update on the government’s spending plan. Mr. Sajjan said the unspent funds were a result […]
Trans Mountain pipeline myth-busting, of a different sort
PARLIAMENT HILL—In last week’s Hill Times online, Colleen Collins of the Canada West Foundation promised to bust myths about Kinder Morgan. Instead, she gave us just another dose of propaganda. Allow me to respond. Diluted bitumen spills can’t be cleaned up Collins claims that the 2010 Enbridge spill in the Kalamazoo River proves diluted bitumen […]
Canada needs to throw off the yoke of economic complacency to play in the big leagues
Canada, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, will soon host G7 leaders in Charlevoix, Que., with members are poised to descend on the region from June 8-9. Much has changed since members first got together in 1975 at the Château de Rambouillet, situated outside of Paris. Back then, the G6—minus Canada, which was not yet part […]
Majority of Canadians says pipeline could lift economy, but generational divide in support exists: poll
Ottawa is ensnared in a legal battle with British Columbia over concerns of the environmental impact of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, but one recent poll suggests that a significant proportion of Canadians thinks that the project could be a boon to the economy, though there’s a sharp generational gap in support that could dampen […]
Canada’s banking sector must innovate or risk falling behind, say prestigious Donner Prize-winning authors
Following their Donner Prize win on May 15 for the best public policy book by a Canadian author, Patricia Meredith and James Darroch say their hope is for the banking industry to adapt to new payment technology especially to help small- and medium-sized businesses. The prestigious $50,000 prize is given annually to a book that helps widen […]
Duncan dishes on unmuzzling scientists, diversity around the research table, and data security
Coming off a so-called “science budget” that infused $4-billion into Canada’s science and research community and $2.8-billion to renew federal science labs, you could say it’s been a pretty good start to 2018 for Science Minister Kirsty Duncan. Federal departments will have a model policy on science integrity by the end of the year in […]
Artificial intelligence in health care: delivering on the potential
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the science of building and programming a machine that can imitate human cognition. Dramatic advancements in robotics and artificial intelligence are projected to generate trillions of dollars in economic growth globally in the next decade. While these technologies show incredible promise to improve patient care, we must consider our health system’s […]
Broadband internet is cornerstone of Canadian industry, economy, technology and education
As chair for the House Industry, Science and Technology Committee (INDU), I have had the chance to meet and hear from many promising and determined entrepreneurs, who inspire my own excitement for Canada’s innovative future. Despite their ambition and many successes, firms continue to face a critical gap in Canada’s current innovation scheme that limits […]
Bains says he’s taking action on innovation promises in 2018
Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains has been busy in 2018. Last year’s budget included major investments in industry programs, and the four-term MP from Mississauga-Malton, Ont., has spent this year overseeing their implementation. That includes the Strategic Innovation Fund, a $1.26-billion pot of money meant to support “cutting edge” projects, the subject of a major lobbying […]
Delighted with 2018 budget, scientists eye funding for ‘open’ grant competitions as next step
The 2018 federal budget gave new hope to Canadian scientists, but they knew their job as advocates wasn’t done. “We were definitely pleased with the results. There was a lot of money there for science,” said Katie Gibbs, executive director of research advocacy group Evidence for Democracy. “But we are all realistic that there is still […]
