Univ of Waterloo president advocates new act to enhance learning and innovation

Dr David Johnston is hoping that a new federal regime in Ottawa may offer an opportunity to implement a decades-old investment strategy to enhance Canada's performance in education and innovation. The Univ of Waterloo president is pitching the merits of instituting The Canada Learning and Innovation Act - also known as The Smart Nation Act - for an initial five-year period, grounded in the premise that knowledge and its translation are best achieved through "ambitious investment in research and development."

The Act proposed touches on all aspects of learning and innovation and seeks to match Canada's performance against best practices globally. It calls for a harmonized approach with buy-in from the federal government, provinces and territories. They could then implement a multi-government investment plan to achieve its objectives, including raising high school graduation levels to 75% and greater completion of college and university programs.

Administration for the Act would be the responsibility of the ministers of Industry and Human Resources and Skills Development, who would forge a federal-provincial agreement. Provincial and territorial premiers would be responsible for directing the Act within their jurisdictions.

"This represents a comprehensive approach to innovation and education," says Johnston. "It will also help to stimulate R&D investment. We could begin with targets and establish a framework to work with the provinces, which is essential if we're serious about being in the top five for GERD to GDP."

Johnston outlined the Smart Canada Act at a recent conference in Ottawa. The proposal's call for an integrated response by the federal and provincial governments was questioned by McGill Univ president Dr Heather Monroe-Blum. She suggested that such an approach could lead to paralysis - an observation Johnston acknowledges is a "legitimate point".

"(Monroe-Blum) prefers a world where governments compete," he says. "Quebec would probably be the last to sign on to such an Act, although they've done a good job coordinating federal and provincial R&D policy. Education and R&D are within the spheres of provincial influence but the federal government has taxing power. Perhaps they could use it to coordinate with the provinces."

Johnston says that if the new government endorses the Act, it could begin with existing funding levels. Once the concept is established and refined, new funding could be requested. "It's a two-step approach," he says. "We could simplify and coordinate to make the funds go further and then establish a values case for more funding."

Johnston's overture to the new Conservative government marks the fourth time he has posed such an initiative. In the 1990s, he presented the concept to then Industry minister John Manley and last year to Belinda Stronach, then minister of Human Resources and Skills Development. The proposal was also presented to former Industry minister David Emerson, who now holds court in the Conservative government as minister of International Trade.

The Johnston proposal includes measures to enhance immigration and visa policies, export learning and innovation systems, help those with foreign training utilize their skills in Canada and establish Canada as a world leader in e-learning.

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