The core of the new federal budget is an 91裸聊视频淚nnovation and Skills Plan91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频渋nfrastructure91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频渋nnovation91裸聊视频� business, and is it really the business of governments?
According to the latest Trudeau budget, innovation will help move Canada beyond reliance on our 91裸聊视频渞ich natural resources,91裸聊视频� and of course 91裸聊视频済row the middle class.91裸聊视频�
One of the headings is 91裸聊视频淧rogram Simplification,91裸聊视频� which tells you where this is all going wrong.
91裸聊视频淭he Government of Canada91裸聊视频檚 vast array of innovation programs makes it difficult for business to find and secure the support they need,91裸聊视频� it says. The more than 140 existing programs will be reviewed.
Yes, Ottawa has been trying for a long time to move us beyond 91裸聊视频渉ewers of wood and drawers of water,91裸聊视频� to use the decades-old clich茅. Stephen Harper gave us a $400 million 91裸聊视频淰enture Capital Action Plan,91裸聊视频� seed money to attract private capital to startups.
Trudeau doubled down last year with $800 million to create 91裸聊视频渃lusters91裸聊视频� of universities, business and government to spawn the next Silicon Valley. This year, Ottawa has dedicated $950 million to grow 91裸聊视频渟uperclusters,91裸聊视频� which Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains assures us are 91裸聊视频渏ob magnets.91裸聊视频�
Alas, Canada sucks at innovation, and producing entrepreneurs. Everything from our auto industry to our environmental movement consists mainly of American branch plants.
We91裸聊视频檝e had a few breakout successes, like BlackBerry, but now Canadians mostly laugh at how un-cool they are. And while taxpayers91裸聊视频� money keeps pouring into this 91裸聊视频渧ast array91裸聊视频� of programs, business investment in research and commercialization still lags behind.
B.C.91裸聊视频檚 got innovation fever too. In January, Premier Christy Clark re-launched her 91裸聊视频渏obs plan,91裸聊视频� a flexible beast that isn91裸聊视频檛 so much about natural gas exports right now as new technology, climate change and yes, innovation.
Clark appointed UBC president Santa Ono as the government91裸聊视频檚 chief advisor on innovation. He91裸聊视频檚 got clusters on his mind, no doubt.
NDP leader John Horgan hasn91裸聊视频檛 shown us much on innovation yet, but give him time. It91裸聊视频檚 the hot political fashion trend this spring.
Green Party leader Andrew Weaver is clustering as we speak. He launched his 91裸聊视频渋nnovation and sustainable enterprise plan91裸聊视频� in Vancouver last week, starting with an 91裸聊视频渆merging economy task force91裸聊视频� to start work as soon as a BC Green government takes over.
There will be $20 million a year 91裸聊视频渢o support ideation, mentoring and networking at post-secondary institutions,91裸聊视频� $50 million for 91裸聊视频渂usiness incubators91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频渁ccelerators,91裸聊视频� and $70 million over four years 91裸聊视频渢o leverage seed or angel funding.91裸聊视频� (No, I don91裸聊视频檛 know what ideation is either.)
The CBC had an innovation a while back, a show called Dragon91裸聊视频檚 Den. If you91裸聊视频檝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 doesn91裸聊视频檛 spew insults like former panelist Kevin O91裸聊视频橪eary, he just tells would-be entrepreneurs what in his view works and what doesn91裸聊视频檛.
So now politicians assure us they can pick winners, with our money. Here91裸聊视频檚 Innovation Minister Bains, explaining it to The Globe and Mail last week:
91裸聊视频淚nnovation is fundamentally about people. And it91裸聊视频檚 about better outcomes, better communities. It91裸聊视频檚 finding solutions so that people can live better lives.91裸聊视频�
Right.
Tom Fletcher is B.C. legislature reporter and columnist for Black Press. Email: tfletcher@blackpress.ca Twitter: @tomfletcherbc
