If only I had chickens around, I might not have gotten malaria
LONDON, U.K.—I had malaria once, and it was extremely unpleasant. I had been working in Yemen, but I actually contracted it when I was flying home. The flight made a stop in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, and the plane was parked out on the runway while waiting to pick up passengers, right on the edge […]
Why a West Coast aquarium is working with the feds to study the Arctic
Not long after the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre first opened its doors six decades ago, a team of adventurous employees and researchers travelled to the Arctic to explore the icy, windswept reaches of Canada’s North. In the years since, our Arctic research expeditions have become an annual practice, with scientists heading north each summer […]
Government group cites tech as key to energy future
Perhaps taking its lead from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s comments earlier this year about wanting Canada to be known more for its “resourcefulness” as opposed to its “resources,” an organization within the federal government says Canada’s energy future may lie in technological innovation, rather than in fossil fuels. Policy Horizons Canada’s document, entitled Canada in a […]
Priority setting in the knowledge ecosystem
As the federal government contemplates a considered course on fundamental science and the Council of Canadian Academies reboots another assessment of the state of science, technology, and innovation in Canada, it is worth remembering why we do these exercises. The reasons can be numerous: to improve global prestige, enhance culture, develop excellence, achieve breakthroughs, strengthen […]
Women in STEM is necessary for an innovative and prosperous country
Canada is most prosperous when all Canadians have a fair chance to succeed. These were the words used by Navdeep Bains, minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, during the Canadian government’s announcement of its innovation agenda last Tuesday afternoon in Ottawa. We at Ladies Learning Code could not agree more. Over the last five […]
Nurturing the next BlackBerry
TORONTO—Building a more innovative country, with good jobs, will depend on close collaboration among business, universities and colleges, and government. This is no time for limited or small government any more than it is a time for risk-averse businesses or academia operating in silos. As the old TV commercial used to put it, “together, we […]
National strategy, focus on youth will spark innovation: experts
With a federal government committed to positioning Canada as a global hub for innovation, the “stars are aligned” to establish a national strategy with strong partnerships to meet that goal, Kenneth Knox, chair of federal Science, Technology and Innovation Council, told an audience today at a Hill Times’ panel discussion on “sparking innovation” moderated by veteran […]
Canada needs an ‘Own the Podium’ strategy for clean energy
Last week’s signing of the Paris climate accord marks the start of a new age, with huge implications for Canada. The fossil fuels that power the global economy today are entering a permanent—if slow—decline. Gone are cozy assumptions of endless growth in oil exports. Winners in the high stakes global energy market of the 21st […]
We need Own The Podium for clean tech
TORONTO—Last week’s signing of the Paris climate accord marks the start of a new age, with huge implications for Canada. The fossil fuels that power the global economy today are entering a permanent (if slow) decline. Gone are cozy assumptions of endless growth in oil exports. Winners in the high-stakes global energy market of the […]
Energy, tech sectors dominate list lobbying Prime Minister Trudeau
Organizations from the energy and technology sectors account for more than one-third of the lobbyists that have made contact with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau since he took power, according to the federal lobbyists registry. Communications reports on the registry, as of last week, showed Mr. Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) has had contact with 28 different lobbying […]
