Editorial - 15-18

Knowing when and where to begin is perhaps the most challenging aspect of confronting the goal of moving from 15th to 5th in global R&D spending. We’ve spent years diagnosing Canada’s weak spots — gaps in our emerging national system of innovation that require focus and funding. But the work to fix them has only begun and lacks a proper strategic framework.

Gaps in knowledge creation, adoption and commercialization have resulted in low productivity, as any historical comparison with the US will attest. Compounding the problem is a growing skills gap, undermining confidence in the business sector as firms plan for the future. Even more serious is Canada’s under-investment in R&D in all sectors — business, academia and government. Without the national innovation engine firing on all cylinders, the result is uneven performance and unsatisfactory results.

People are looking to the federal government for leadership in nurturing Can-ada as an innovative nation and that leadership must start with the Innovation White Paper. But where is it? Months after it was supposed to be released, we’re still waiting. And as the economy continues to stagnate and other priorities rise to the top of the agenda, a sense of foreboding is spreading through the S&T community.

It’s clear all players in the innovation system have to pull together to achieve the daunting task of improving R&D performance. The situation is akin to an eager supporting cast waiting in the wings for the star to show up before curtain call. The White Paper must be released quickly so all the players can do their part.