Biotechnology and Life Sciences
Strong privacy laws needed in digital age
OTTAWA—Privacy laws around the world may differ on certain issues, but all share a key principle: the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information requires user consent. The challenge in a digital world where data is continuously collected and can be used in a myriad of previously unimaginable ways is how to ensure that the […]
Angel investors key to creating a 21st-century innovation economy
VANCOUVER—Entrepreneurship is thriving in Canada, but we must provide it with the fuel it needs for growth. In Canada, we chronically undercapitalize our promising companies, leaving many entrepreneurs struggling to find early-stage risk capital just when they need it most. As a result, many look to the U.S., where capital is easier to secure, and […]
Never mind Trump, look what Clinton’s saying
TORONTO—Donald Trump gets more of the headlines. But if we are smart, we should be paying more attention to Hillary Clinton. She is more likely to be the next American president, and she is setting out a platform that has important implications for Canada. At the top of the list is trade. While Clinton is […]
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 […]
