The core of the new federal budget is an 害羞草研究所淚nnovation and Skills Plan害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所渋nfrastructure害羞草研究所� 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 害羞草研究所渋nnovation害羞草研究所� business, and is it really the business of governments?
According to the latest Trudeau budget, innovation will help move Canada beyond reliance on our 害羞草研究所渞ich natural resources,害羞草研究所� and of course 害羞草研究所済row the middle class.害羞草研究所�
One of the headings is 害羞草研究所淧rogram Simplification,害羞草研究所� which tells you where this is all going wrong.
害羞草研究所淭he Government of Canada害羞草研究所檚 vast array of innovation programs makes it difficult for business to find and secure the support they need,害羞草研究所� it says. The more than 140 existing programs will be reviewed.
Yes, Ottawa has been trying for a long time to move us beyond 害羞草研究所渉ewers of wood and drawers of water,害羞草研究所� to use the decades-old clich茅. Stephen Harper gave us a $400 million 害羞草研究所淰enture Capital Action Plan,害羞草研究所� seed money to attract private capital to startups.
Trudeau doubled down last year with $800 million to create 害羞草研究所渃lusters害羞草研究所� of universities, business and government to spawn the next Silicon Valley. This year, Ottawa has dedicated $950 million to grow 害羞草研究所渟uperclusters,害羞草研究所� which Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains assures us are 害羞草研究所渏ob magnets.害羞草研究所�
Alas, Canada sucks at innovation, and producing entrepreneurs. Everything from our auto industry to our environmental movement consists mainly of American branch plants.
We害羞草研究所檝e had a few breakout successes, like BlackBerry, but now Canadians mostly laugh at how un-cool they are. And while taxpayers害羞草研究所� money keeps pouring into this 害羞草研究所渧ast array害羞草研究所� of programs, business investment in research and commercialization still lags behind.
B.C.害羞草研究所檚 got innovation fever too. In January, Premier Christy Clark re-launched her 害羞草研究所渏obs plan,害羞草研究所� a flexible beast that isn害羞草研究所檛 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害羞草研究所檚 chief advisor on innovation. He害羞草研究所檚 got clusters on his mind, no doubt.
NDP leader John Horgan hasn害羞草研究所檛 shown us much on innovation yet, but give him time. It害羞草研究所檚 the hot political fashion trend this spring.
Green Party leader Andrew Weaver is clustering as we speak. He launched his 害羞草研究所渋nnovation and sustainable enterprise plan害羞草研究所� in Vancouver last week, starting with an 害羞草研究所渆merging economy task force害羞草研究所� to start work as soon as a BC Green government takes over.
There will be $20 million a year 害羞草研究所渢o support ideation, mentoring and networking at post-secondary institutions,害羞草研究所� $50 million for 害羞草研究所渂usiness incubators害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所渁ccelerators,害羞草研究所� and $70 million over four years 害羞草研究所渢o leverage seed or angel funding.害羞草研究所� (No, I don害羞草研究所檛 know what ideation is either.)
The CBC had an innovation a while back, a show called Dragon害羞草研究所檚 Den. If you害羞草研究所檝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害羞草研究所檛 spew insults like former panelist Kevin O害羞草研究所橪eary, he just tells would-be entrepreneurs what in his view works and what doesn害羞草研究所檛.
So now politicians assure us they can pick winners, with our money. Here害羞草研究所檚 Innovation Minister Bains, explaining it to The Globe and Mail last week:
害羞草研究所淚nnovation is fundamentally about people. And it害羞草研究所檚 about better outcomes, better communities. It害羞草研究所檚 finding solutions so that people can live better lives.害羞草研究所�
Right.
Tom Fletcher is B.C. legislature reporter and columnist for Black Press. Email: tfletcher@blackpress.ca Twitter: @tomfletcherbc
