Editorial - 25-14

There's nothing like a looming recession and the prospect of severe fiscal restraint to send a chill through the S&T community. Program cancellations and cutbacks mixed with delays in key reports and policy documents send the rumour mill into overdrive, with some predicting a full onslaught against research and S&T.

The government does itself no favours by allowing rumours to fester, meeting expressions of concern with a proverbial cone of silence. A case in point is the Digital Economy Strategy, announced with great fanfare and public consultations in 2010. Slated for release last spring, its delay has prompted speculation and a careful reading of the tea leaves, namely speeches made by the new Industry minister, Christian Paradis.

RE$EARCH MONEY spoke with several people in the information and communications technology (ICT) community. We couldn't come up with anything other than typical government behavior — moving a file off to the side burner to deal with more pressing issues (see page 4).

Sadly, one excellent program — Precarn Inc — appears to have fallen victim to a government blinkered against the value it delivered to Canada's S&T enterprise (see page 4). Precarn's inability to get on the government radar means a similar vehicle will likely have to be created.

Government silence on key S&T files can also be explained by the work of the Expert Review Panel on Research and Development, chaired by Open Text's Tom Jenkins. Until it advises the government on ways to boost industry R&D and enhance its impact, the holding pattern will continue.