I had breakfast with a colleague last week and we were speaking about the growing chorus calling for various levels of governments to set out their innovation vision. I have some thoughts that have emerged from that meeting that I plan to share over the next few days.
I noticed that the Hill Times had a special Innovation supplement on November 5 with various interest groups submitting textual versions of the Ottawa handshake – you know the move – hold your right hand in front of you, palm facing to the left, straighten elbow, cup your hand and rotate it upward. Michael Geist’s column in that section has a subtitle that says we need more than tax breaks to maximize the value of research. I agree.
Let’s go back a few years. When the National Broadband Task Force was launched, its objective was to explore the best approaches to make high-speed broadband Internet services available to businesses and residents in all Canadian communities by 2004.
Unfortunately, as we approach the end of the year 2007, we still aren’t there.
In any case, I’d submit that broadband availability was insufficient as an ultimate goal; it is just a piece of the solution space. One step along the way.
If we are looking for Canada to lead in electronic literacy, what programs are we willing to establish to get there? This ties to a couple of my comments last week about the need to create the right environment to enable all citizens to be drinking from the digital fountain of knowledge.
Are any of the provinces willing to move forward on their own to set their own digital objectives? Across the broad spectrum of agencies, health care appears to have the lowest hanging fruit.
Ontario’s premier Dalton McGuinty has established a new $165M venture fund to “help create the jobs of the future by boosting cutting-edge companies here in the province”. It is an important contribution. But it strikes me as similar to making a charitable donation in lieu of rolling up your sleeves to volunteer sweat. We need governments to commit more than just money.
For an innovation strategy to take hold, can we energize further progress by changing the way government and public institutions deliver services?
For example, why are medical diagnostic labs still producing radiological films that require physical media rather than digital images? Doctors still keeping illegible paper records. Under a digital strategy, provinces would set a firm date by which all labs must upgrade in order to continue to be licensed or receive funding. Doctors – prepare to digitize your records.
What is the bold vision? Where is the leadership across all sectors and all levels of government to drive spending consistent with that innovation agenda. Where will innovation rank on political agendas?