Science minister defends cap-and-trade
Innovation can grow economy, Bains says during visit to Trent
A coding initiative for youth is an example of how the federal government is using innovation to grow the economy, the minister of innovation, science and economic development said Wednesday.
Navdeep Bains joined Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef at Trent University’s Student Centre to discuss the government’s plan to grow the economy using innovation.
Climate change, economics,
immigration policies and highspeed internet in rural areas were some of the key areas Bains touched on during the nearly hour-long conversation.
A price on pollution is crucial in managing climate change, he said.
“Without meaningful investments in innovation and clean technology, we’re not going to be able to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions,” Navdeep said.
When it comes to economics, Navdeep said it’s important to continue to invest in the aero and auto industries.
“We want to make sure we transition them and make them more innovative, more relevant going forward and we also support the new companies that are emerging in this digital economy as well.”
To keep Canada’s workforce on pace with rapidly changing global technologies, the government introduced an innovation and skills plan.
A key part of that plan is investing in people, he said.
The investment includes a coding initiative recently launched by Bains and Monsef. The government devoted $500 million to help 1 million kids learn how to code – though it’s about more than that.
“It’s not just about coding, but about digital skills and making sure youth have digital literacy and are comfortable with the technology and understanding how to solve problems.”
Taking advantage of Canada’s immigration policies are also an innovative way to get ahead, he said.
Through the global skills strategy, companies and academic institutions seeking growth can recruit specialists from other countries to help them along. The processing time for a work visa is two weeks.
“It’s really about nurturing and developing a domestic pipeline of talent and also taking advantage of global talents as well.”
The government is also willing to help citizens who’re mid-career to upgrade their skillset or take advantage of the digital economy by offering grants and interest-free loans.
Meanwhile, high-speed internet connectivity is critical to help rural communities advance, Bains said.
The minister pointed out that 70 per cent of student’s homework requires them to go online. Students and parents also rely heavily on the internet to connect with teachers.
If small businesses want to succeed, an online presence is needed.
“The internet is no longer a luxury it’s an absolute necessity.”
There’s also a tremendous amount of room for growth in the economy if barriers are removed for women, Monsef added.
It’s been said for decades that including as many people as possible in the economy, including women, is the right thing to do, Monsef said.
Turns out, it’s the economically smart thing to do as well, the MP said.
“If we’re able to get full and equal participation of women, our GDP will increase by 4 per cent. Over the next 10 years we’ll add $150 billion to our economy,” Monsef said.