Federal government committed to protecting vast, and abundant resource
PARLIAMENT HILL—Canada’s ocean waters are an integral part of our identity as a nation. They form the heart of our way of life in many communities from coast to coast to coast, and are valued as an essential resource by all Canadians. With the world’s longest coastline, stretching over 243,000 km along three oceans, […]
We’re an ocean nation, with a land-locked Prime Minister
PARLIAMENT HILL—Canada is truly an ocean nation. Our long coastline touches on three oceans, Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic, and hundreds of communities and tens of thousands of jobs are dependent on marine health. We have benefited from our marine regions through the wealth gained through the fisheries and tourism as well as traditional aboriginal […]
Tsunami debris cleanup puts intergovernmental collaboration to the test on the Pacific Coast
Federal and provincial officials are urging public calm as they prepare an action plan to clean up tonnes of refuse from last year’s tsunami that is destined for North America’s Pacific Coast. When the water-logged remnants of a Harley Davidson washed up on British Columbia’s Haida Gwaii islands last month it was an ominous […]
Feds say they’re ‘untangling’ environmental assessments for resource development
The federal government’s omnibus Budget Implementation Bill’s provisions to gut environmental assessments and the Fisheries Act are “short-sighted,” “irresponsible,” and “risky,” when it comes to offshore oil and gas drilling and protecting Canada’s waterways, say opposition MPs. “Budget 2012 coupled with C-38 is a retreat from protecting our oceans,” Green Leader Elizabeth May (Saanich-Gulf […]
Fisheries minister’s discretionary authority over ocean resources expands with C-38
Fisheries Minister Keith Ashfield spent his first year on the file promoting regulatory reform, and the changes that he and other members of government have been touting over the past year are set to expand Cabinet’s discretion over ocean resources. “I believe strongly that with some changes at DFO, Canada’s fishing industry has the potential […]
Ocean experts decry ‘glacial’ process for approving Marine Protected Areas
The feds are speeding up the approval process for major energy projects, but the approval of marine protected areas remains a drawn out process. Three regions of Canada’s vast ocean waters have been listed as “areas of interest” for marine protection since 1998. “We’ve made a commitment that we’re going to focus on marine […]
PM, Finance and Industry to make innovation a top policy priority in 2012
The federal government has been signaling its willingness to take bold steps to foster innovation in Canada, but industry insiders say there needs to be a commitment across partisan lines if the country is to reap the long term benefits of such policies. Innovation has been a trending topic in official government statements after […]
On the ‘rightful place’ for innovation and science policy in our governments
GATINEAU—When U.S. President Barack Obama came to power three years ago, one of his priorities was to re-establish the “rightful place” of science in his administration. This has meant restoring science as a tool for crafting smart policies to strengthen the nation; getting the best available evidence to decision-makers; hiring highly-qualified public servants to […]
We need to find ways to fund new programs without endangering essential core of education
OTTAWA—The printing press, motorized vehicles, telephones, and computer are but a few of the inventions that have changed the world. They have affected social organization and created economic development, to a great extent improving the quality of our lives. As our global economy falters, it is not surprising that each nation looks to the creative […]
High-growth entrepreneurship is the key to Canada’s future economic success
OTTAWA—As Canada struggles with the fallout from the Great Recession, governments at all levels are grappling with how to ensure the kind of economic growth that will create meaningful jobs and future prosperity. Igniting Canada’s entrepreneurial spirit is the answer. But all forms of entrepreneurship are not equal; ‘high-growth’ entrepreneurship contributes disproportionately to innovation, […]
