Stakeholders have until February 7th to respond to S&T consultation paper

Industry Canada has released a consultation paper for the updating of its 2007 science, technology and innovation (STI) strategy, giving interested parties one month – until February 7 – to make their submissions. Entitled Seizing Canada's Moment: Moving Forward in Science, Technology and Innovation, the slim four-page document has raised eyebrows both for its brevity and for what it doesn't include, not to mention the short timeframe for responses.

Even at four pages, the paper dedicates more space to extol the government's STI achievements than articulating challenges and areas for improvement. As one observer noted, "If everything's so rosy, why change? What improvements, if any, are we aiming for?"

The paper concedes Canada can be more innovative and asserts that the country "must seize this moment" by establishing a new STI framework to boost business innovation, develop innovative and entrepreneurial people and emphasize excellence in public and post-secondary R&D. Each area is accompanied by questions to stimulate discussion.

Business

* Building on the advice provided by the Expert Panel on Federal Support for Research and Development (Jenkins report), what more can be done to improve business investment in R&D and innovation?

* What actions could be taken, by the government or others, to enhance the mobilization of knowledge and technology from government labs and universities, colleges and polytechnics to the private sector?

people

* How can Canada continue to develop, attract and retain the world's top research talent at our businesses, research institutions, colleges and polytechnics, and universities?

* How might Canada build upon its success as a world leader in discovery-driven research?

Public and Academic R&D

* Is the Government of Canada's suite of programs appropriately designed to best support research excellence?

Given the vagueness of the consultation paper, many are noting the absence of whole areas of STI activity such as international S&T . For John Reid, president of the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance, the paper fails to get to the heart of the challenge for Canada.

"Canada needs to get into the content creation game and I don't see that in this document," says Reid. It's not even part of the conversation. The government needs to set the guidance right or anything else doesn't matter."

Last November, Industry Canada officials said the government would also hold a series of roundtables and a national conference in early 2014 (R$, November 26/13). There has been no word on these initiatives since then, leading many observers to speculate that the strategy is effectively complete.

Industry Canada declined RE$EARCH MONEY's request for an interview and Greg Rickford, minister of state for science and technology, was unavailable for comment.

R$