Analysis: Liberal and Tory parties give S&T greatest emphasis in election platform documents

The Liberal government has made research, innovation and the knowledge-based economy central planks in its re-election strategy, with a commitment to increase its spending on R&D by at least $1 billion by FY04-05. Their prominent placement of S&T at the beginning of the Liberal's so-called Red Book III indicates that the party believes its recent track record and plans for building a knowledge-based economy are strong enough to take centre stage in its recently released election platform document.

From the National Research Council's regional clusters strategy to additional funding for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the document - entitled Opportunity For All - positions R&D and innovation as critical building blocks for the future, augmented by a commitment to further reduce taxation levels.

In contrast, the S&T commitments put forward by all other parties vying for federal power pale in comparison to the Liberal emphasis on the New Economy. The notable exception is the policy platform of the Progressive Conservative (PC) Party, which contains a plethora of analysis on R&D, innovation and the knowledge-based economy, and a detailed prescription for improving Canada's competitive status.

LIBERALS GIVE S&T POLICIES PROMINENCE

The pivotal place in which S&T is situated in Red Book III marks the first time in recent memory that the importance of the research and technology communities have been given such high prominence in an election campaign. The majority of new spending initiatives support the knowledge-economy thrust of the document, focusing on health, education, research, environment and new economy infrastructure.

The Liberal platform builds upon much of the S&T content of the recent mini-Budget (R$, October 23/00) and Finance minister Paul Martin's New Economy speech (October 2/00). It repeats Martin's goal of placing Canada within the top five OECD nations in terms of R&D spending, although given the size of the increase the Liberals are prepared to invest ($1 billion), the great majority of new spending is evidently expected from the private sector.

Most of the new S&T initiatives such as a $500-million fund for health information technology, have already been announced. One apparently new pledge is a commitment to "provide a further major increase in funding for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research". But the government has already stated that it is prepared to invest more in CIHR if it demonstrates that it can effectively use the increased funding it has already received. As for other new R&D spending, the platform document is vague, pledging only to increase funding for basic and applied research, and new and existing sectors. Natural resources, the granting agencies and the National Research Council's (NRC) technology clusters are singled out as areas where new funding is forthcoming.

ALLIANCE PUSHES TAX CUTS

The S&T platform of the Canadian Alliance (CA) party presents a radically different approach to innovation, with tax reduction touted as the virtual cure-all for the ailments that hinder Canada's ability to compete in the New Economy. Tax cuts are offered up as the solution to the alleged brain drain, competitiveness of the high-technology sector and regional disparity, although the CA does revive the concepts of a chief scientist of Canada and a senior technology advisor who reports directly to the PM.

The CA also supports increasing the funding to the federal granting agencies as a way to improve national capacity for basic research, but anything that smacks of assistance closer to the marketplace is labeled and then dismissed as corporate welfare. It goes on record as advocating the elimination of Technology Partnerships Canada, a key business assistance program to the aerospace industry considered essential to offset subsidies provided to its international competitors.

Also axed under the CA would be the regional development agencies, including those for Quebec, Atlantic Canada and Western Canada. It contends that "tax reductions and investments in health care, education and infrastructure" will more than offset any benefits to be derived from regional assistance programs.

The CA document - A Time for Change - reads like a comic book compared to the S&T elements of the policy platform developed by the PC party. The PC election document - Change You Can Trust - advocates a wide range of R&D spending from fisheries and agriculture to biotechnology and new information technologies. In the area of education, it proposes the creation of a Canadian Institute for Learning and Technology and an 'E-campus' collaboration program to develop courses and and programs geared to new learning technologies.

PCS OFFER RANGE OF S&T ALTERNATIVES

The PCs go into even further detail in their May 2000 policy document - Engaging Canadians - adopted at their national policy convention. That's where the real meat of the party's innovation platform can be found, with dozens of S&T policy priorities for every sector of the economy.

While the PC's chances of forming a national government any time soon appear dismal, the S&T positions taken in their policy documents do offer a major contrast to the the CA in the so-called "Fight for the Right". Rather than slash and burn the policies of the Liberals, the PC convention policy document actually lauds the government's R&D tax incentive program (while advocating a streamlining of the process) and welcomes the creation of the CIHR.

The PCs concur with the Liberals that Canadian R&D performance must be raised to that of other OECD nations, and call for business and government to "establish a long-term plan for both basic and applied R&D, with strong growth targets for research spending by all stakeholders".

In the area of university research, the Tories call for an increase in transfer payments to the provinces for education, easing the cash crunch of institutions and allowing them to free up resources for research.

They also emerge as a staunch supporter of the NRC, and advocate further assistance allowing it to bridge the gap between university research and commercialization. And they call for the NRC to play a greater role in regional innovation programs with funding of proposed strategic initiatives. The Liberals also declare in Red Book III that they are prepared to finance the NRC's strategic initiatives that remain unfunded.

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