Canada desperately needs to update its laws for digital era
New technologies are allowing Canadians’ most personal information to be collected, stored, shared, and stolen in ways that were unimaginable just a few years ago. Cyber-bullying, the distribution of intimate images, identity theft, and increased government surveillance, have become major issues of public concern. Some 71 per cent of Canadians think that protecting personal […]
Connecting more Canadians with high-speed
On a brisk winter evening in February 2013 I spoke to a group of e-commerce entrepreneurs at a restaurant—just a few steps from the Hill. Pointing to the recommendations of a study prepared by the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology after hearing testimony from 33 expert witnesses, I noted that improving the […]
Shared Services Canada ‘disappointed’ with Bell’s email contract delay
Shared Services Canada’s email consolidation program, slated to begin in March has still yet to get underway and the government’s new mega-IT department says it’s because Bell, contracted to undertake the initiative, has been slow to the draw. “Bell has not yet been able to meet the committed project deadlines,” said Ted Francis, the […]
Supreme Court online privacy ruling not reflected in cyber crime bill moving through House, say critics
Discontent over the Conservative government’s use of time allocation followed House Leader Peter Van Loan’s motion to limit further debate on the government’s controversial cyberbullying and surveillance legislation, which came despite critics calling for more time to consider a Supreme Court ruling that could affect the bill. Bill C-13, the Protecting Canadians from Online […]
Biotechnology
Farmers’ seeds at centre of a debate over Agricultural Growth Act
Farmers’ seeds are at the centre of a debate over Bill C-18, the Agricultural Growth Act. Proponents say this will align Canada with its international trade partners and allow for more private innovation in food biotechnology, while opponents say it will restrict farmers’ rights to save their seeds and place ownership in the hands […]
Doctors, researchers consider Orphan Drug Act ‘mission critical’
Despite having a late start in helping people with rare diseases access orphan drugs, Canada is now exceeding and becoming a world leader in some aspects in this field, particularly in genome studies, according to some in the field. According to the government, a rare disease is a life-threatening, seriously debilitating, or serious chronic condition […]
Labelling GMOs about transparency, not health say advocates
Advocates pushing for the government to adopt mandatory labelling regulation of genetically-modified foods may have received a boost, ironically, thanks to a recent Health Canada study. On June 10, Health Canada released a report, “Consulting Canadians to Modernize and Improve Food Labels: What We Heard,” detailing what Health Canada has learned about Canadians’ priorities on […]
Biotech’s life sciences sector sees good news in CETA, but advocacy groups concerned about pharmaceutical R&D investments
The life sciences sector of the biotechnology industry considers the Canada European Free Trade Agreement, which is expected to be initialed on Sept. 25 in Ottawa, good news for pharmaceutical innovation, but advocacy groups are concerned about how a continuing decline in Canadian pharmaceutical companies investment in research and development (R&D) will be addressed […]
Feds must do more to make sure biotechnology industry ‘globally competitive,’ says industry
For biotechnology to continue to thrive in the Canadian economy an industry group says the Supreme Court of Canada has to not interfere in what the federal government is doing in lowering barriers to investment and ensuring ownership to intellectual property. Andrew Casey, president and CEO of BioteCanada, said the government’s approach to the […]
