Conscience a proper compass

in both legal and public thought as a guiding principle. According to this code, as a general rule, others have no right to impose on your will, and even if you intend self-harm, they shall not interfere, but instead may, or must, assist you.

The problem seems to be that when we find a fellow human about to jump off a bridge, we know that giving him a push is somehow a worse idea than trying to help him back. We find that his autonomy cannot determine our action because it conflicts directly with our conscience, which is who we are. Moreover, suppression of conscience, such as is being required of doctors, is traumatic to the human psyche, and just as we are at the bridge, so doctors are rightly reluctant to comply with the new code.

It seems that autonomy as our guiding principle is imperfect. Conscience, compassion and even tradition are better stars to follow. by some Christian leaders, was ultimately outlawed in the Christian world (while continuing in Islam) by the social activism of some courageous Christian leaders.

As for the Holocaust, well, Hitler, a nominal but non-practising Catholic, was hardly acting at the behest of the Church. As a psychiatrist, Dr. Sussman should recognize a deranged mind when he sees it rather than blaming Christianity for it. It is lamentable that Canada is said to have failed at innovation. The suggestion ignores the many advances Canada’s high-tech industries have achieved. Over a long career as a technical journalist, I have seen how Canadian efforts have been stifled, and not only by lack of funding.

U.S. and other foreign parent corporations of Canadian subsidiaries have tended to consolidate R&D to head offices or to use Canadian R&D staff to serve head office rather than domestic needs. When successful Canadian enterprises are acquired, R&D often goes abroad. And too many of our talented young graduates are wooed away by outside employers.

Some top management have made the mistake of diversifying from core competency into risky ventures in unfamiliar markets, or becoming distracted while competitors usurp market dominance.

It will be hard for Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains and deputy minister John Knuble to solve these problems that have foxed earlier Canadian governments and held back innovation for 100 years.

Perhaps one strategy is to limit government subsidies to corporations who stick to their specialist expertise. Another is to ensure any “tweaking” of NAFTA retains access to U.S. markets, especially in government.