Science and Technology as Agents of Economic Growth - Canadian Science Policy Conference

Speaking Points

The Honourable Gary Goodyear, PC, MP
Minister of State (Science and Technology)

Montréal, Quebec
October 21, 2010

Check Against Delivery

Thank you for your kind introduction, and thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for attending the Canadian Science Policy Conference (CSPC). It is a pleasure for me, personally, to return to this event in its second year.

In only a short time, the CSPC is building momentum within the science policy community. I'm inspired to look around the room this morning and see so many science policy experts and advocates from across Canada.

This conference is making a significant contribution to science policy discussion by bringing together Canadian science and innovation stakeholders.

The spirit of collaboration is woven well into the fabric of Canadian science policy. This conference today is about bringing together researchers, scientists, industry and government, and I wish it every success.

I don't think there's any doubt that researchers have been in the spotlight for much of 2010. Last May, for example, the federal government announced the winners of the Canada Excellence Research Chairs — top scientists from around the world who chose to come to Canada to do their work.

Look at the research stars who arrived in this province alone:

• From France, Dr. Marcel Babin came to the Université de Montréal to lead Canada's research into the remote sensing of Canada's Arctic frontier;
• From Brazil, Dr. Younès Messaddeq came to Université Laval to carry out research into enabling photonic innovations for information and communication;
• From France, Dr. Bertrand Reulet came to the Université de Sherbrooke to research quantum signal processing.

Canada has become a destination of choice for many of the world's top researchers.

When we look around this room, we see people who help foster science, technology and innovation in Canada in various ways. Your work helps drive the competitiveness of Canada's economy and the vitality of our society.

Gathering together for this conference, we again commit ourselves to building stronger partnerships between industry, government and the academia. These partnerships span all the elements of Canada's innovation system — from pure research, to applied science and technology, to commercialization.

As you know, three years ago, Prime Minister Stephen Harper launched Canada's Science and Technology Strategy. Our goal was to improve the quality of life of Canadians, create jobs and strengthen the economy for future generations. We also made a commitment to help universities develop, attract and retain the world's best researchers here in Canada.

To back up the Strategy, our government has made significant new investments in science and research in the last five federal budgets. Year two of Canada's Economic Action Plan invests close to $1.4 billion in initiatives to promote science, technology and innovation. This builds on an unprecedented federal investment of nearly $5 billion in year one of the Plan.

Budget 2010 committed $45 million over five years to the granting councils to establish the new Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships Program. When fully implemented, this program will support 140 post-doctoral fellowships valued at $70 000 each per year.

We are also making sure that community colleges are plugged into the innovation system. This year, we doubled the funding for the College and Community Innovation Program to support applied research collaborations between communities, businesses and colleges.

Budget 2010 also provided $75 million to Genome Canada for new targeted research competitions in priority areas and for regional genomics innovation centres. We also committed $222 million over five years to TRIUMF, Canada's national research laboratory for nuclear and particle physics.

Through this kind of continued commitment, dedication and financial backing, Canada will remain at the forefront of global science research.

I want to say to the researchers here today that your work is changing the lives of Canadians for the better. Our government is proud of your efforts and your contributions to our nation.

In part, as a result of our investments, Canada continues to lead the G7 in research and development performed by our colleges and universities as a percentage of gross domestic product. We have the second-highest proportion of post-secondary graduates in the OECD. We must take advantage of this competitive position and build on it.

But we also know that Canada faces challenges.

We do not compare well to other countries when it comes to R&D performed by the business sector.

In fact, in 2007, Canada ranked 16th among OECD nations in business expenditures on R&D as a percentage of our economy. We need to be up with the leaders to increase our standard of living and be globally competitive. Instead, we are well below the OECD average.

Canadian businesses invest in R&D at just 60 percent of the rate of their competitors in the U.S.

In fact, our GDP has been growing faster than business expenditures in R&D. Canadian business has not reinvested the gains from economic growth back into the technologies that will help to accelerate and sustain growth into the future.

For this reason, we are looking at ways to improve our generous system of support for business R&D.

Last week, I was pleased to announce, on behalf of the government, a new panel to review federal support of commercially oriented R&D. It is chaired by Tom Jenkins, Executive Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer of software producer Open Text, and will seek input and advice from business, academia and other interested Canadians.

Tom understands what is required to grow a business in Canada that is focused on innovation and how to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities of global markets.

I am equally pleased that Dr. David Naylor, Monique F. Leroux, Dr. Arvind Gupta, Dr. Bev Dahlby and Nobina Robinson will serve as members of the panel. These six individuals have outstanding experience and extensive knowledge of the Canadian economy and of the many players in Canada's innovation system.

The focus of the R&D review will be on federal programs and activities that are aimed at promoting and supporting private sector innovation. Within a year, the panel will report back to me on how we can improve the effectiveness of government support for business R&D and innovation.

Let me make two things perfectly clear about the panel and its work.

First, this will not be a cost-cutting exercise. We want answers on how to make our investments more effective. Neither will it result in increased costs. We need to be fiscally responsible.

Second, this review will not take away from our commitment to basic research and our investments in the higher education sector. These investments, after all, remain the foundation of Canada's future.

The panel will seek ways to improve the contribution of Canadian business to the country's overall competitiveness in a knowledge-based economy.

In the coming weeks and months, Canadians will have an opportunity to provide their input and advice to the panel for it to consider before submitting its final recommendations to the government.

The stakes are high. We know how the pace of innovation is increasing. Those economies that are best at applying R&D to their products and processes will surge ahead.

It's not just researchers and inventors who will help us keep our competitive edge. It is also policy-makers, administrators and managers. In fact, Canada relies on all its citizens to help it achieve worldwide brilliance. We need to celebrate our successes. Let me tell you about one such contribution as I conclude my remarks.

In the last year, the Canada Science and Technology Museums Corporation has met with and listened to the country's scientific community on issues related to the promotion of a science culture.

Based on what it heard, the museum embarked upon an ambitious project to build an online hub for the pan-Canadian science, technology and engineering community. It saw this as a fulfillment of its mandate to promote and share knowledge about Canada's scientific and technological past, present and future.

The museum envisions the hub as an open, collaborative space for everyone involved in, or interested in, science, engineering and technology.

This includes industry, academia, governments, funding agencies, policy-makers and ordinary citizens. Today, in collaboration with the Canadian Science Policy Centre, the museum is launching an online forum open to all Canadians. The forum will be a place where everyone can share ideas about how to best use technology to increase collaboration.

Let me also say a word about the latest inductees to the Canadian Science and Engineering Hall of Fame because they exemplify the benefits of working together.

At the head of the list this year is Dr. Norman Bethune. Dr. Bethune was a surgeon and a medical innovator who advocated for improved public health.

Dr. George C. Laurence's contributions to physics won him a place in the Hall of Fame. He was a key figure in the development of Canada's nuclear industry. He spent his career studying nuclear physics and developing techniques both to harness nuclear power and to ensure safety standards for its use.

Then there are the nominations of Drs. James Till and Ernest McCulloch, who were selected for their contributions to medicine.

This pair of scientists, the "fathers of stem cell research," crucially altered the landscape of cell biology, and especially cancer research, in proving the existence and defining the characteristics of stem cells.

They are the first joint nomination to the Hall of Fame, something the selection committee felt could be more commonplace in the future as scientific collaboration and synergistic efforts are key to more and more discoveries and innovations.

So, you see, a system of innovation requires the contribution — and collaboration — of many different actors. Over the next few days, you will have an opportunity to explore together how to make your own varied and important connections.

I wish you an enjoyable and thought-provoking conference.

Thank you.