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NDP MP Richard Cannings

NDP MP Richard Cannings, who represents South Okanagan-West Kootenay, B.C., is his party's natural resources critic.

An overhaul of current governmental thinking needed to reverse our economic decline

  • Lack of private sector investment in innovation is a key factor most economists agree is driving Canada’s economic decline.
Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | February 3, 2025
Canada's current corporate tax structure discourages investment in research and development, and the private sector's adoption of advanced technology, writes NDP MP Richard Cannings. Image courtesy of Michal Jarmoluk, Pixabay.com

An overhaul of current governmental thinking needed to reverse our economic decline

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | February 3, 2025
  • Lack of private sector investment in innovation is a key factor most economists agree is driving Canada’s economic decline.

An overhaul of current governmental thinking needed to reverse our economic decline

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | February 3, 2025
  • Lack of private sector investment in innovation is a key factor most economists agree is driving Canada’s economic decline.
Canada's current corporate tax structure discourages investment in research and development, and the private sector's adoption of advanced technology, writes NDP MP Richard Cannings. Image courtesy of Michal Jarmoluk, Pixabay.com

Canada needs to catch up in the biotech sector

  • Currently, our scientists have to look outside of the country to take their work to the next level, which means that Canada is not
Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | September 18, 2024
Canada is well behind most developed nations in research investment, so we need to catch up in direct and indirect ways, writes Richard Cannings. Photograph courtesy of Pexels

Canada needs to catch up in the biotech sector

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | September 18, 2024
  • Currently, our scientists have to look outside of the country to take their work to the next level, which means that Canada is not

Canada needs to catch up in the biotech sector

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | September 18, 2024
  • Currently, our scientists have to look outside of the country to take their work to the next level, which means that Canada is not
Canada is well behind most developed nations in research investment, so we need to catch up in direct and indirect ways, writes Richard Cannings. Photograph courtesy of Pexels

Higher value must be placed on the creation of knowledge

  • The period between innovation and commercialization has been called 'The Valley of Death.' The period before a market has been established requires considerable investment
Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | February 5, 2024
Along side the loss of IP in Canada is the continued loss of researchers to other countries simply due to lack of financial support for early career scientists and for basic research, writes NDP MP Richard Cannings. Photograph by Nick Youngson, distributed under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license, Pix4free.org

Higher value must be placed on the creation of knowledge

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | February 5, 2024
  • The period between innovation and commercialization has been called 'The Valley of Death.' The period before a market has been established requires considerable investment

Higher value must be placed on the creation of knowledge

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | February 5, 2024
  • The period between innovation and commercialization has been called 'The Valley of Death.' The period before a market has been established requires considerable investment
Along side the loss of IP in Canada is the continued loss of researchers to other countries simply due to lack of financial support for early career scientists and for basic research, writes NDP MP Richard Cannings. Photograph by Nick Youngson, distributed under a CC BY-SA 3.0 license, Pix4free.org

Our scientists need action now, not more study

  • A post-industrial economy like our needs a constant stream of innovation to remain competitive. By underfunding our brightest scientists early in their careers, we’re
Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | October 16, 2023
Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, seen recently on the Hill. The Advisory Panel on the Federal Research Support System report, released March 20, 2023, showed that the government is not providing the right support for science research in Canada, writes NDP MP Richard Cannings. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Our scientists need action now, not more study

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | October 16, 2023
  • A post-industrial economy like our needs a constant stream of innovation to remain competitive. By underfunding our brightest scientists early in their careers, we’re

Our scientists need action now, not more study

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | October 16, 2023
  • A post-industrial economy like our needs a constant stream of innovation to remain competitive. By underfunding our brightest scientists early in their careers, we’re
Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, seen recently on the Hill. The Advisory Panel on the Federal Research Support System report, released March 20, 2023, showed that the government is not providing the right support for science research in Canada, writes NDP MP Richard Cannings. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada’s place in the world of biotechnology research and application is in jeopardy

  • Government of Canada funded scholarships and fellowships are the primary sources of income for many biotechnology researchers. To stem the brain-drain, Canada must significantly
Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | September 11, 2023
The values of Canada graduate scholarship masters and postgraduate scholarship doctoral have not changed since 2003, and Canada’s postdoctoral fellowships stipend has not changed since 2015, writes NDP MP Richard Cannings. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay

Canada’s place in the world of biotechnology research and application is in jeopardy

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | September 11, 2023
  • Government of Canada funded scholarships and fellowships are the primary sources of income for many biotechnology researchers. To stem the brain-drain, Canada must significantly

Canada’s place in the world of biotechnology research and application is in jeopardy

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | September 11, 2023
  • Government of Canada funded scholarships and fellowships are the primary sources of income for many biotechnology researchers. To stem the brain-drain, Canada must significantly
The values of Canada graduate scholarship masters and postgraduate scholarship doctoral have not changed since 2003, and Canada’s postdoctoral fellowships stipend has not changed since 2015, writes NDP MP Richard Cannings. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay

A case for lifting Canadian researchers out of poverty

  • Underfunding Canada's best and brightest at the start of their scientific careers may force many to either drop out of their studies, or leave
Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | May 8, 2023
To continue to prosper, Canada must support innovation in both basic and applied research, which cannot happen if our brightest minds leave for better-funded opportunities outside of Canada, writes NDP MP Richard Cannings. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay

A case for lifting Canadian researchers out of poverty

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | May 8, 2023
  • Underfunding Canada's best and brightest at the start of their scientific careers may force many to either drop out of their studies, or leave

A case for lifting Canadian researchers out of poverty

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | May 8, 2023
  • Underfunding Canada's best and brightest at the start of their scientific careers may force many to either drop out of their studies, or leave
To continue to prosper, Canada must support innovation in both basic and applied research, which cannot happen if our brightest minds leave for better-funded opportunities outside of Canada, writes NDP MP Richard Cannings. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay

Forestry’s bright future cannot resemble a bygone era

  • The forest sector is facing unprecedented challenges in Canada, but with those challenges come opportunities to build a strong industry based on truly sustainable
Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | June 16, 2021
If managed properly, forests can play an important part in our fight against climate change. How we harvest the trees, what we do with branches, small trunks, and other debris that are normally left unused or burned, and what products we produce from the harvested timber are all critical parts of that process, writes Richard Cannings. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay

Forestry’s bright future cannot resemble a bygone era

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | June 16, 2021
  • The forest sector is facing unprecedented challenges in Canada, but with those challenges come opportunities to build a strong industry based on truly sustainable

Forestry’s bright future cannot resemble a bygone era

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | June 16, 2021
  • The forest sector is facing unprecedented challenges in Canada, but with those challenges come opportunities to build a strong industry based on truly sustainable
If managed properly, forests can play an important part in our fight against climate change. How we harvest the trees, what we do with branches, small trunks, and other debris that are normally left unused or burned, and what products we produce from the harvested timber are all critical parts of that process, writes Richard Cannings. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay

Changing dynamics need changing focus in natural resource sector

  • Canada’s natural resources have always been the backbone of our national economy, supporting workers and rural communities across the country, while driving central financial
Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | December 9, 2020
The best path for climate action in the forest sector is to use sustainably harvested logs to manufacture more mass timber products for use in large buildings, writes Richard Cannings. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay

Changing dynamics need changing focus in natural resource sector

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | December 9, 2020
  • Canada’s natural resources have always been the backbone of our national economy, supporting workers and rural communities across the country, while driving central financial

Changing dynamics need changing focus in natural resource sector

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | December 9, 2020
  • Canada’s natural resources have always been the backbone of our national economy, supporting workers and rural communities across the country, while driving central financial
The best path for climate action in the forest sector is to use sustainably harvested logs to manufacture more mass timber products for use in large buildings, writes Richard Cannings. Photograph courtesy of Pixabay

Time to move away from business-as-usual approach to climate, resource development policies

  • In recent weeks, Canadians have heard a lot about the debate around fossil fuel developments and the need for climate action. The oil and
Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | March 11, 2020
For too long, Liberal and Conservative governments, led by people such as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and former prime minister Stephen Harper, have failed to put forward a real plan for a low-carbon economy that both meets meaningful climate action targets and protects workers now employed in the fossil fuel sector, writes Richard Cannings. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Time to move away from business-as-usual approach to climate, resource development policies

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | March 11, 2020
  • In recent weeks, Canadians have heard a lot about the debate around fossil fuel developments and the need for climate action. The oil and

Time to move away from business-as-usual approach to climate, resource development policies

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | March 11, 2020
  • In recent weeks, Canadians have heard a lot about the debate around fossil fuel developments and the need for climate action. The oil and
For too long, Liberal and Conservative governments, led by people such as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and former prime minister Stephen Harper, have failed to put forward a real plan for a low-carbon economy that both meets meaningful climate action targets and protects workers now employed in the fossil fuel sector, writes Richard Cannings. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Mass timber construction has the world moving quickly to building with more wood

  • Canada’s forestry and construction sectors of the economy have the potential to be major contributors to reducing greenhouse gases, but some things will have
Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | March 25, 2019
The Brock Commons student residence at the University of British Columbia, at 18 storeys, is the world’s tallest wood building. It contains 2,233 cubic metres of engineered wood products, removing about 1,600 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere. In terms of residential construction, a typical 216 square-metre wood framed home contains nearly 30 tonnes of carbon, writes NDP MP Richard Cannings. Photograph courtesy of University of British Columbia

Mass timber construction has the world moving quickly to building with more wood

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | March 25, 2019
  • Canada’s forestry and construction sectors of the economy have the potential to be major contributors to reducing greenhouse gases, but some things will have

Mass timber construction has the world moving quickly to building with more wood

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | March 25, 2019
  • Canada’s forestry and construction sectors of the economy have the potential to be major contributors to reducing greenhouse gases, but some things will have
The Brock Commons student residence at the University of British Columbia, at 18 storeys, is the world’s tallest wood building. It contains 2,233 cubic metres of engineered wood products, removing about 1,600 tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere. In terms of residential construction, a typical 216 square-metre wood framed home contains nearly 30 tonnes of carbon, writes NDP MP Richard Cannings. Photograph courtesy of University of British Columbia

Feds need to move on ridding Canadian lumber of U.S. tariffs, helping forest industry

  • Recently there has been much focus on the challenges facing the oil sector of Canada’s economy, but much less attention has been paid to
Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | December 12, 2018
Despite all of the recent engagement between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Donald Trump, there has been no action on removing the tariffs the Americans placed on Canadian softwood lumber in 2017, writes Richard Cannings. Photograph courtesy of Justin Trudeau’s Twitter

Feds need to move on ridding Canadian lumber of U.S. tariffs, helping forest industry

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | December 12, 2018
  • Recently there has been much focus on the challenges facing the oil sector of Canada’s economy, but much less attention has been paid to

Feds need to move on ridding Canadian lumber of U.S. tariffs, helping forest industry

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | December 12, 2018
  • Recently there has been much focus on the challenges facing the oil sector of Canada’s economy, but much less attention has been paid to
Despite all of the recent engagement between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Donald Trump, there has been no action on removing the tariffs the Americans placed on Canadian softwood lumber in 2017, writes Richard Cannings. Photograph courtesy of Justin Trudeau’s Twitter

Canada’s potential future in renewable energy: Cannings

  • Recently, I travelled with Canada’s Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr to the World Energy Leaders Summit and G20 energy meetings in Argentina. One of
Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | July 16, 2018
The transition to clean, renewable energy is coming fast, and Canada is particularly vulnerable because of its reliance on the oil and gas sector for good jobs. Photograph courtesty of Pixabay

Canada’s potential future in renewable energy: Cannings

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | July 16, 2018
  • Recently, I travelled with Canada’s Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr to the World Energy Leaders Summit and G20 energy meetings in Argentina. One of

Canada’s potential future in renewable energy: Cannings

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | July 16, 2018
  • Recently, I travelled with Canada’s Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr to the World Energy Leaders Summit and G20 energy meetings in Argentina. One of
The transition to clean, renewable energy is coming fast, and Canada is particularly vulnerable because of its reliance on the oil and gas sector for good jobs. Photograph courtesty of Pixabay

The future in Canadian forestry comes from big thinking

  • In our changing world, all parts of Canada’s natural resources sector have had to innovate to not only survive, but thrive and lead the
Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | December 13, 2017
A ship loaded with raw logs sits docked in Port Alberni on Feb 24, 2017. NDP MP Richard Cannings has introduced a private member's bill in the House that would compel the federal government to consider the use of wood in federal infrastructure projects, after taking into consideration overall lifetime cost of the materials and the impact those materials would have on the greenhouse gas footprint of the building. TJ Watt/Ancient Forest Alliance photograph

The future in Canadian forestry comes from big thinking

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | December 13, 2017
  • In our changing world, all parts of Canada’s natural resources sector have had to innovate to not only survive, but thrive and lead the

The future in Canadian forestry comes from big thinking

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | December 13, 2017
  • In our changing world, all parts of Canada’s natural resources sector have had to innovate to not only survive, but thrive and lead the
A ship loaded with raw logs sits docked in Port Alberni on Feb 24, 2017. NDP MP Richard Cannings has introduced a private member's bill in the House that would compel the federal government to consider the use of wood in federal infrastructure projects, after taking into consideration overall lifetime cost of the materials and the impact those materials would have on the greenhouse gas footprint of the building. TJ Watt/Ancient Forest Alliance photograph

Time for Canada’s shift to a new, green energy economy

  •   As the impacts of climate change become more apparent, it’s clear that all countries must do what they can to keep the global
Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | December 4, 2017
Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, pictured on the Hill recently. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Time for Canada’s shift to a new, green energy economy

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | December 4, 2017
  •   As the impacts of climate change become more apparent, it’s clear that all countries must do what they can to keep the global

Time for Canada’s shift to a new, green energy economy

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | December 4, 2017
  •   As the impacts of climate change become more apparent, it’s clear that all countries must do what they can to keep the global
Environment Minister Catherine McKenna, pictured on the Hill recently. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada’s future is in renewable energy, time to step it up

  • Canada’s 150th birthday is a great time to imagine the Canada of 150 years from now. Our country has been built on the wealth
Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | July 17, 2017
Solar, pictured, and wind power have been criticized because they provide intermittent power, when most grids demand dependable base power sources that can be called on whenever needed. Energy storage systems are being developed to get around this problem, but solar and wind power can be used right now as an adjunct to hydro and other energy sources. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

Canada’s future is in renewable energy, time to step it up

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | July 17, 2017
  • Canada’s 150th birthday is a great time to imagine the Canada of 150 years from now. Our country has been built on the wealth

Canada’s future is in renewable energy, time to step it up

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | July 17, 2017
  • Canada’s 150th birthday is a great time to imagine the Canada of 150 years from now. Our country has been built on the wealth
Solar, pictured, and wind power have been criticized because they provide intermittent power, when most grids demand dependable base power sources that can be called on whenever needed. Energy storage systems are being developed to get around this problem, but solar and wind power can be used right now as an adjunct to hydro and other energy sources. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

Concerted, timely federal action needed for a Canadian shift to a cleaner energy economy

  • A genuine commitment to a cleaner, greener economy will require intensified federal action on all fronts including supporting directed research, deploying renewables, incenting energy
Opinion | BY NDP MP LINDA DUNCAN, NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | March 20, 2017
Canada's federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna. Unfortunately the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change—Ottawa’s plan to tackle greenhouse gas reduction—is mute on commitments to greater efficiency leaving it to the provinces to provide incentives for retrofits. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Concerted, timely federal action needed for a Canadian shift to a cleaner energy economy

Opinion | BY NDP MP LINDA DUNCAN, NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | March 20, 2017
  • A genuine commitment to a cleaner, greener economy will require intensified federal action on all fronts including supporting directed research, deploying renewables, incenting energy

Concerted, timely federal action needed for a Canadian shift to a cleaner energy economy

Opinion | BY NDP MP LINDA DUNCAN, NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | March 20, 2017
  • A genuine commitment to a cleaner, greener economy will require intensified federal action on all fronts including supporting directed research, deploying renewables, incenting energy
Canada's federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna. Unfortunately the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change—Ottawa’s plan to tackle greenhouse gas reduction—is mute on commitments to greater efficiency leaving it to the provinces to provide incentives for retrofits. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

There’s a path forward for natural resources sector

  • PARLIAMENT HILL—Canada’s natural resources have always been a key part of our economy. But as we enter an era of declining resource availability, increasing
Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | December 5, 2016
Canada’s natural resources have always been a key part of our economy. But as Canada enters an era of declining resource availability, increasing challenges with a globally compromised environment and redressing past wrongs and imbalances of power with indigenous peoples, Canada must focus on innovation, bold ideas and a clear strategy for the future, writes NDP MP Richard Cannings. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

There’s a path forward for natural resources sector

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | December 5, 2016
  • PARLIAMENT HILL—Canada’s natural resources have always been a key part of our economy. But as we enter an era of declining resource availability, increasing

There’s a path forward for natural resources sector

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | December 5, 2016
  • PARLIAMENT HILL—Canada’s natural resources have always been a key part of our economy. But as we enter an era of declining resource availability, increasing
Canada’s natural resources have always been a key part of our economy. But as Canada enters an era of declining resource availability, increasing challenges with a globally compromised environment and redressing past wrongs and imbalances of power with indigenous peoples, Canada must focus on innovation, bold ideas and a clear strategy for the future, writes NDP MP Richard Cannings. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

Building on one of our greatest natural resources

  • We often hear that Canada is rich in natural resources, but forget that one of our greatest resources is our highly educated population. In
Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | November 23, 2016
It's important that demand for increased research funding does not take away from funding necessary to maintain top-level teaching, argues NDP MP Richard Cannings. The Hill Times file photograph

Building on one of our greatest natural resources

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | November 23, 2016
  • We often hear that Canada is rich in natural resources, but forget that one of our greatest resources is our highly educated population. In

Building on one of our greatest natural resources

Opinion | BY NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | November 23, 2016
  • We often hear that Canada is rich in natural resources, but forget that one of our greatest resources is our highly educated population. In
It's important that demand for increased research funding does not take away from funding necessary to maintain top-level teaching, argues NDP MP Richard Cannings. The Hill Times file photograph

On the edge of a new world: Canada’s clean energy future

  • Canada is at a crossroads on clean energy. Last year was officially the hottest year on record. There is growing global recognition of the urgent
Opinion | BY NDP LEADER TOM MULCAIR, NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | August 15, 2016
June’s Three Amigos Summit, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and U.S. President Barack Obama, did much to put clean energy back on the map with the adoption of the first continent-wide clean energy target of 50 per cent clean power generation by 2025. Again, this commitment, while significant, is not binding, and the federal government has yet to set to a national clean energy target. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright

On the edge of a new world: Canada’s clean energy future

Opinion | BY NDP LEADER TOM MULCAIR, NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | August 15, 2016
  • Canada is at a crossroads on clean energy. Last year was officially the hottest year on record. There is growing global recognition of the urgent

On the edge of a new world: Canada’s clean energy future

Opinion | BY NDP LEADER TOM MULCAIR, NDP MP RICHARD CANNINGS | August 15, 2016
  • Canada is at a crossroads on clean energy. Last year was officially the hottest year on record. There is growing global recognition of the urgent
June’s Three Amigos Summit, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and U.S. President Barack Obama, did much to put clean energy back on the map with the adoption of the first continent-wide clean energy target of 50 per cent clean power generation by 2025. Again, this commitment, while significant, is not binding, and the federal government has yet to set to a national clean energy target. The Hill Times photograph by Jake Wright
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