Ottawa, Tuesday, June 9, 2015

 

Good morning, everyone!

I’d like to start by posting a question:

Are we innovative, or aren’t we?

As Canadians, I mean. Is this a nation of innovators, or is it not?

Depending on who you ask, you’ll get a different answer.

The World Economic Forum, for example, says Canada is the 25th most innovative country in the world. That’s down from 12th place in 2010.

But the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance says the innovation gap is a “misconception.” What Canada suffers from is an innovation commercialization gap—which is to say, we’re not sufficiently applying our innovations.

Or, ask the Science, Technology and Innovation Council of Canada, and they’ll say that, at least in terms of business innovation, the answer is no, we aren’t very innovative: as a percentage of GDP, gross domestic expenditures on R&D in Canada have fallen to a low of 1.7 per cent. That puts us 23rd among OECD nations.

But, if you were to ask some of the leading players in Silicon Valley, you would be told yes, absolutely, Canadians are innovators. That’s why there’s an estimated 350,000 Canadians working in Silicon Valley.

So which is it? 

The answer, of course, is all of the above. And what that tells me is that Canadians are innovative, but that we lack a culture of innovation in Canada.

And the reason I’ve called my remarks today, “Towards an Innovation Nation,” is because I believe the time has come for Canada to create a truly world-class culture of innovation.

Why is this important?

For one simple, undeniable reason: because we’re living through an extraordinary moment in time, a hinge point in world history.

This is a time of profound globalization.

Of disruptive technological changes.

Of major demographic shifts.

Of changing attitudes and expectations towards governments, institutions and public services.

Of challenges related to our environment, our energy supplies and our health care.

I could go on.

My point is that in a time of such rapid and profound change as this, Canadians can’t afford to be complacent.

And that means we must innovate.

What do I mean by innovation?

I mean developing new and better ways of doing things and creating value that have a meaningful and positive impact on our quality of life.

It’s important to remember that innovation is not invention. Innovation is an economic and social process, a means by which productivity is improved and better ways of organizing and operating are achieved as a society.

Such improvements and adaptations are crucial in times of change. They’re vital to maintaining our quality of life.

Let me share an example.

Just yesterday, I was in Toronto at the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing, where members of the G7 Social Impact Investment Taskforce are gathering in Canada for the first time.

You may be asking yourselves, ‘What is social impact investment?’

Perhaps the most well-known definition is: “investment intended to create positive impact beyond financial returns.”

Or, even more simply: it’s about harnessing private capital for public good, while also generating a financial return for the investor.

It’s also a wonderful example of innovation—both social and economic.

Social impact investing recognizes that Canada, like its G7 partners, is faced with significant social, environmental and financial challenges. Such challenges call upon us to be innovative because governments and communities sometimes lack the ability or the flexibility to respond adequately.

That being said, it’s not as if there isn’t enough money in the world to help address these challenges. Rather, it’s that the money’s tied up in financial markets. It’s being held as interest-earning investments rather than being deployed to make a difference, where it’s needed most.

Social impact investment asks the question: what if we put that money to good use, and made a profit for the investor? 

That’s innovative thinking.

Remember our definition: innovation is developing new and better ways of doing things and creating value that have a meaningful and positive impact on our quality of life.

But within that definition, innovation has many different shades of meaning.

Innovation means creating new goods or services that add value and improve our lives.

It means increasing value and reducing costs in how products and services are produced and delivered.

It means using creativity, technology and knowledge to improve the way we organize ourselves, our communities and our country.

It means finding new ways to enter markets and to meet the needs of existing markets.

Canada has a long history of innovation— technological, social, economic, cultural and political. Indeed, Canada itself has been called a bold experiment in diversity and multiculturalism. We’re not two years shy of our 150th birthday by accident. We didn’t get here by revolution or upheaval, but neither have we clung unduly to the status quo.

That said, we should ask ourselves why those 350,000 doubtlessly talented and creative Canadians are working in Silicon Valley and not the Ottawa Valley.

Could it have something to do with a culture that, while the envy of the world in so many respects, fails to appreciate the importance of innovation in our rapidly-changing world?

The bottom line is this: if change is the new constant, then innovation is the new imperative.

But innovation isn’t like a light bulb you can just turn on and off. Innovation is a profoundly human process, and that means it’s rooted in culture.

And that’s why I think we need to build a culture of innovation.

A culture that recognizes how innovation can help propel us forward in an ever-changing world.

A culture that enables creative people and groups to work together, to form innovation ecosystems and to solve problems.

A culture that celebrates innovators and their contributions to Canada.

As governor general, I’m privileged to be in a position to help bring about this culture. And today, I’d like to announce a new national award that will celebrate the very best in Canadian innovation: the Governor General’s Innovation Awards.

These awards will celebrate individuals, teams and organizations whose innovations are exceptional and transformative, and have had a positive impact on society and on humanity.

They will fill a gap in recognizing innovation across all sectors of Canadian society—public, private, non-profit—at a national level.

They will highlight the work of accomplished, experienced innovators, as well as young innovators under 30 who represent the next generation. 

Let me pause for a moment and emphasize the importance of celebrating and encouraging the next generation of innovators in Canada. They are our future. That may be a cliché but that doesn’t make it any less true. And as leaders within this country, each of you has a critical role to play in fostering that emerging talent.

Whether experienced innovators or young Canadians, these awards will celebrate social, economic and cultural innovations aimed at solving real-world problems.

They will celebrate forward-thinking;

Inspiration;
Creativity;
Collaboration;
Risk-taking;
and problem solving.

If Canada is to grow and prosper in the years ahead, we need creative minds to push us beyond boundaries and preconceptions, to improve the way we do things.

And we need to celebrate those creative minds and their achievements.

The Governor General’s Innovation Awards will do just that.

As you can see, the logo we’ve developed for these awards captures innovation’s ripple effect within society. The ‘i’ for innovation and the cascading lines represent the growth of Canada, and the continuing impact of innovators on our country—now and for generations to come.

And speaking of impact, I would like to acknowledge Tom Jenkins of OpenText, who was the originator of this initiative, as well as other key partners: the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Canada Science and Technology Museum, the Rideau Hall Foundation and all the nominating partners that will join us soon in this movement. 

In a changing world characterized by globalization, new technologies, demographic shifts and a wide range of complex, interconnected challenges, innovation is the key to maintaining our quality of life.

It’s about adapting and improving where we can and must, while hanging on to those values and institutions which continue to serve us well.  

If we’re going to build a smarter, more caring Canada, each of us will need to do our part to foster a culture of innovation. That includes in the North, a part of Canada that’s home to a unique set of challenges and opportunities. This important region calls for innovation that links our past and present while looking to the future.

We have a great opportunity to inspire a culture shift from coast to coast to coast as we approach 2017, the 150th anniversary of Confederation.

As our gift to Canada on its 150th, let’s work together towards building a culture of innovation, full of creativity and forward-thinking for a better country.

I call on each of you to join in this effort.

Thank you.