Liberals making investments to help Canadians seize opportunities created by technology: Bains
The expansive portfolio handed to Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains has already earned him the moniker the “minister of everything.” After all, the Mississauga, Ont., MP is tasked with not only shepherding the government’s all-important economic development agenda, but also helping domestic businesses become more innovative, an elusive task that seemingly boils […]
Government should prepare now for automation economy, even if layoffs aren’t imminent, say experts
Despite mixed opinions from experts as to how soon automation will lead to significant layoffs, both proponents of new technologies in industry and those more apprehensive to their adoption say it’s better for the federal government to ready Canada for potential job losses and a disrupted economy with policy sooner rather than later. “We have this […]
Innovation procurement programs looking to lure home-grown products
Yad Garcha, CEO of Bionic Power, understands why most small business owners are wary of doing business with the federal government, calling the process bureaucratic, but for him government procurement was always the end goal. The Vancouver-based Bionic Power was recently awarded a contract for $1.1-million for its Knee Based Energy Harvester through the Build in […]
Stopping online piracy is not censorship
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is considering a proposal to block Canadians from accessing websites that “blatantly, overwhelming, or structurally engage in piracy.” The proposal expands on successful efforts in other countries to address the growing problem of online piracy, while imposing extraordinary safeguards to protect users’ digital rights. In short, it is a balanced […]
Use technology, take risks to advance Canadian health care, say innovators
It all started when the two of us sat down over a cup of coffee. As a family physician and endocrinologist, we stand on opposite sides of a large chasm called patient wait times, and we both started seeing more and more of our patients getting swallowed up by this abyss. In her role as […]
Expect Liberal budget to focus on science, women’s role in economy
OTTAWA—Thomas Mulcair got it right a few years back when, commenting on the approach of Stephen Harper’s government to the role of science in policy development, he said the Conservatives relied on “decision-based fact-making.” But, unfortunately for the NDP, it was Justin Trudeau’s Liberals who managed to capitalize in the 2015 election on a commitment […]
Innovation
Why the CRTC should endorse FairPlay’s piracy site-blocking plan
It’s time to have a fair and reasonable conversation about the issue of online piracy in 2018. Piracy has evolved significantly since the days of making bootleg copies of movies on VHS tapes. We live in a world where innovation has allowed us to access content from anywhere, anytime, on any screen; and where operators […]
Canada should heed lessons from Israel to become global innovation leader
Canada is by no means alone in seeking to boost innovation. But our country does have undeniable and enviable—potential to be a true global leader in research, development, and entrepreneurial thinking. To realize that potential, we need to invest in all aspects of innovation, including fundamental research. We also need to take every opportunity to […]
Four ideas to make Canada more inclusive of people with disabilities
“As a scientist, I could not understand how at the end of the 20th century disabled people have no other option than a wheelchair,” said Israeli Amit Goffer. Goffer made international headlines by inventing ReWalk, an extraordinary bionic system that enables paraplegics to stand upright, walk, and even climb stairs. Having become a quadriplegic after […]
