The core of the new federal budget is an 香蕉视频直播淚nnovation and Skills Plan香蕉视频直播� to encourage business investment and jobs in Canada.
This is the second budget of the Justin Trudeau government, which means the second year of borrowing and spending billions for 香蕉视频直播渋nfrastructure香蕉视频直播� with little to show for it so far. I have no argument with skills training, a must in our fast-changing economy. But what about this 香蕉视频直播渋nnovation香蕉视频直播� business, and is it really the business of governments?
According to the latest Trudeau budget, innovation will help move Canada beyond reliance on our 香蕉视频直播渞ich natural resources,香蕉视频直播� and of course 香蕉视频直播済row the middle class.香蕉视频直播�
One of the headings is 香蕉视频直播淧rogram Simplification,香蕉视频直播� which tells you where this is all going wrong.
香蕉视频直播淭he Government of Canada香蕉视频直播檚 vast array of innovation programs makes it difficult for business to find and secure the support they need,香蕉视频直播� it says. The more than 140 existing programs will be reviewed.
Yes, Ottawa has been trying for a long time to move us beyond 香蕉视频直播渉ewers of wood and drawers of water,香蕉视频直播� to use the decades-old clich茅. Stephen Harper gave us a $400 million 香蕉视频直播淰enture Capital Action Plan,香蕉视频直播� seed money to attract private capital to startups.
Trudeau doubled down last year with $800 million to create 香蕉视频直播渃lusters香蕉视频直播� of universities, business and government to spawn the next Silicon Valley. This year, Ottawa has dedicated $950 million to grow 香蕉视频直播渟uperclusters,香蕉视频直播� which Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains assures us are 香蕉视频直播渏ob magnets.香蕉视频直播�
Alas, Canada sucks at innovation, and producing entrepreneurs. Everything from our auto industry to our environmental movement consists mainly of American branch plants.
We香蕉视频直播檝e had a few breakout successes, like BlackBerry, but now Canadians mostly laugh at how un-cool they are. And while taxpayers香蕉视频直播� money keeps pouring into this 香蕉视频直播渧ast array香蕉视频直播� of programs, business investment in research and commercialization still lags behind.
B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 got innovation fever too. In January, Premier Christy Clark re-launched her 香蕉视频直播渏obs plan,香蕉视频直播� a flexible beast that isn香蕉视频直播檛 so much about natural gas exports right now as new technology, climate change and yes, innovation.
Clark appointed UBC president Santa Ono as the government香蕉视频直播檚 chief advisor on innovation. He香蕉视频直播檚 got clusters on his mind, no doubt.
NDP leader John Horgan hasn香蕉视频直播檛 shown us much on innovation yet, but give him time. It香蕉视频直播檚 the hot political fashion trend this spring.
Green Party leader Andrew Weaver is clustering as we speak. He launched his 香蕉视频直播渋nnovation and sustainable enterprise plan香蕉视频直播� in Vancouver last week, starting with an 香蕉视频直播渆merging economy task force香蕉视频直播� to start work as soon as a BC Green government takes over.
There will be $20 million a year 香蕉视频直播渢o support ideation, mentoring and networking at post-secondary institutions,香蕉视频直播� $50 million for 香蕉视频直播渂usiness incubators香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播渁ccelerators,香蕉视频直播� and $70 million over four years 香蕉视频直播渢o leverage seed or angel funding.香蕉视频直播� (No, I don香蕉视频直播檛 know what ideation is either.)
The CBC had an innovation a while back, a show called Dragon香蕉视频直播檚 Den. If you香蕉视频直播檝e seen it, you know the drill. Angel investors take a hard look at a new product and offer financing for part ownership.
My favourite dragon is Jim Treliving, a no-nonsense ex-RCMP officer who built Boston Pizza into a three-country empire. He doesn香蕉视频直播檛 spew insults like former panelist Kevin O香蕉视频直播橪eary, he just tells would-be entrepreneurs what in his view works and what doesn香蕉视频直播檛.
So now politicians assure us they can pick winners, with our money. Here香蕉视频直播檚 Innovation Minister Bains, explaining it to The Globe and Mail last week:
香蕉视频直播淚nnovation is fundamentally about people. And it香蕉视频直播檚 about better outcomes, better communities. It香蕉视频直播檚 finding solutions so that people can live better lives.香蕉视频直播�
Right.
Tom Fletcher is B.C. legislature reporter and columnist for Black Press. Email: tfletcher@blackpress.ca Twitter: @tomfletcherbc
