Time to fix the ‘value gap’
In his Hill Times op-ed (“Canadian copyright reform requires a fix on the fair dealing gap,” Dec. 5, 2016) Michael Geist takes issue with the need to address the “value gap” that is hurting Canadian artists, writers, and other members of the creative class. He argues instead that Canada faces a need to address a “fair […]
Morneau’s 2017 budget may be most important in Trudeau’s four-year mandate
TORONTO—Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s budget this coming spring may be the most important budgetary exercise in the four-year mandate of the Trudeau government. The reason is the time lag between the announcement of new initiatives and when they begin to have any real impact. With not quite three years before the next federal election, even […]
Statistics Act changes don’t go far enough
OTTAWA—With the introduction of Bill C-36, An Act to Amend the Statistics Act, the government is moving forward on its commitment to “make Statistics Canada fully independent.” How does the draft legislation measure up to this goal and the expectations of key stakeholders? To begin, let me say that the bill, if passed in its […]
Inclusive innovation: learning from the start-up nation
Inclusivity is a central pillar of the federal government’s Innovation Agenda. By engaging the full spectrum of Canadian society in innovative projects, government can both leverage Canada’s diversity of talent and empower marginalized populations. It comes as a surprise to most, but Israel is the most relevant model Canada can look to for inclusive innovation. […]
Seeing and seizing the endless opportunities of space
The story headlined, “Private sector increasingly involved in space, Canadian government investments remain scarce,” in The Hill Times on Nov. 28 underlines the large role that Canadian space companies play in developing and furthering the country’s space program. While the article focused on the increasing level of private-sector involvement in space, it is important to note that […]
Canadian copyright reform requires a fix to the fair dealing gap
In the decade of lobbying leading up to the reform of Canadian copyright law in 2012, copyright lobby groups had one core message: Canada needed to implement and ratify the World Intellectual Property Organization’s Internet treaties. While many education, consumer, and business groups expressed concern that the digital lock rules in the treaties would harm […]
Government’s middle-class agenda at risk in ‘new normal’ economy
TORONTO—Is low growth the “new normal” for Canada and other rich countries that make up the G7? If so, what does this mean for efforts to reduce inequality, strengthen the middle class, and generate the public revenues needed to finance health care, education, and other public services? Low growth is the “new normal”—not zero growth, […]
Private sector increasingly involved in space, Canadian government investments remain scarce
As the Canadian Space Agency gets ready to launch a series of three earth observation satellites and private companies start to take more of a lead in space technology innovation, industry-insiders are hoping that the federal government’s much touted dedication to innovation and science will lead to further funding of the department. “Our space program […]
Canada must do more to boost innovation
There has been much discussion and activity around the topic of innovation. Everyone recognizes the need to create an environment in Canada that fosters innovation, and that supports the development of innovative ideas through to commercialization. The excellence of Canadian research happening at the universities and colleges across the country is well-respected in the world. […]
The rise of the knowledge disruptors
“As we develop science policy we need to look beyond the short-term context, beyond the research that looks immediately promising. If we’re blinded by the urgency of our problems, we will go the wrong way. We’ll be investing in horses, carriages, and cleaning up the streets instead of fostering the research that can give rise […]
