Speeches

Keynote Address - Our Legacy for the Future - Oceans, Science and Sustainable Growth

Arthur J. Carty

Ocean Innoation 2004 Victoria, British Colombia

25 October 2004

[ PDF Version ]

 Introduction

Good morning everyone. Bonjour à tous et merci beaucoup de m’avoir invité à vous parler ce matin. It is an honour and a pleasure to be here to speak to you at Ocean Innovation 2004. I’d like to thank the organizers for inviting me to this second conference on what will surely become an ongoing event.

Looking over the program, I was delighted to see such a diverse group of researchers, business leaders and government representatives come together around the common purpose of raising awareness of the importance of Canada’s oceans. My hat goes off to the conference organizers for their vision in putting this event together.

I want to state right away, as Canada’s National Science Advisor, I consider achieving a balance between ocean development on the one hand and environmental health on the other to be vital to our country’s future, and of course science and technology have an essential role to play in helping us reach this balance. 

Canada is a maritime nation. Eight of our provinces and all three of our territories border on salt water. Some seven million Canadians live in coastal communities. And our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is among the largest in the world.

What affects our oceans, affects all of us – impacting on our environment, our economy, our communities, our health and our quality of life. 

The world’s oceans are the pulsing heart at the center of the earth’s ecosystem – steadily driving a delicate, yet complex, symbiotic relationship with the earth’s atmosphere and land-based biological networks.

Still, much of what goes on beneath the sea – and even along its shoreline – remains a mystery to us. 

Recently I came across a passage by Dr. Joseph MacInnis – explorer and marine conservationist -- that captures this sense of the unknown. In it he describes his encounter with a 50 tonne bowhead whale: 

“… It was at that moment that I got the sense of how old the ocean was and how old creatures are. And that we, humans, for all our vaunted technology, are just trespassers. We’re temporary, we belong to the land.”

The vastness of the oceans, juxtaposed against their sensitivity, tends to remind us of our limitations. And yet, our very survival on this planet increasingly depends on our ability to understand these incredible bodies of water – and their inner workings – much, much better.

In my view, the oceans are the next big scientific frontier. 

A great deal more fundamental science and technological development is needed before we will even begin to understand the complexity of the many ocean ecosystems and their interactions with each other. 

This knowledge is also a necessary prerequisite before we can harness the oceans’ resources in a responsible and sustainable manner.

It is this sense of urgency – and national purpose – that underpins my remarks this morning. 

Government S&T Priorities

Before going any further, however, I’d like to say a few words about the government’s priorities in the area of science and technology.

As National Science Advisor, I was very encouraged by the Government’s ongoing commitment expressed in the Speech from the Throne, to increasing Canada’s economic performance and quality of life thru science and innovation.

The Speech included several initiatives that support this goal. First of all it mentioned the need to build on the massive $13 billion of federal investment in S&T over the past six years which has created a strong research base. The Speech also stressed that commercialization – turning ideas, inventions and discoveries into dynamic businesses and products for the global marketplace - is crucial. And enhancing Canada’s capabilities in key enabling technologies: biotech, ITC and advanced materials must also be a focus. Finally, the Speech reiterated the government’s commitment to sustainable development and of key interest to all of you here indicated that the government would move forward with its Ocean’s Action Plan . This integrated government-wide plan would strengthen Canada’s stewardship of its OCEAN AND COASTAL regions by maximizing the use and development of oceans technology, establishing a network of marine protected areas, implementing integrated management plans, and enhancing the enforcement of rules governing oceans and fisheries, including straddling stocks.

I am also very pleased by the Prime Minister’s announcement that the government will seek to launch the Canadian Academies of Science – a national alliance of the country’s leading scientific and engineering academies that will operate at arm’s length from government. 

The new Academies of Science -- which will receive operational funding of $35M over the next 10 years -- will be a source of expert assessments on the state of scientific knowledge, where that knowledge is relevant to current and future policy choices. It will also give our country a unified voice in international science fora. I am sure there will be a need to engage the CAS in assessing the underlying science beneath issues of importance to our oceans.

Initial Priorities as NSA

As National Science Advisor my role is to provide sound, unbiased and non-partisan advice on science and technology to the Prime Minister. Naturally, I’ve identified some initial priorities.

The first of these is the commercialization of research results. I have been asked to work with the Minister of Industry to build a comprehensive and integrated action plan that will see Canada emerge as one of the world leaders in turning ideas into wealth for the nation.

A second priority is international development and how we can mobilize Canadian technological expertise to help meet the challenges of the developing nations of the world including the rising economic powerhouses in China, India, Brazil and South Africa.

And a third is to work with the government to ensure its science and technology investments are -- in the words of the Speech from the Throne -- “…strategic, focused and delivering results.” 

I will also be looking at ways to revitalize and breakdown silos in government labs and ensure a fuller integration of the government’s in-house science and technology activity.

Why Focus On Oceans?

Let me return now to Canada’s oceans and the vital role of science and innovation in helping us understand the ocean frontier.  Why focus on oceans science? And why now?

I’ve already spoken of the integral role of the oceans in the global ecosystem. 

But the oceans are also the foundation of a long established and increasingly sophisticated, high-tech, maritime economy – the global value of which, in 2000, was estimated to be $1.1 trillion in Canadian dollars. Most of this comes from offshore oil and gas, shipping and naval activities.  In Canada, the marine and oceans industries contribute at least $20 billion annually to the Canadian economy, together with an estimated 350,000 direct, indirect and part-time jobs, most of which are located in coastal communities. 

And with increasing trade liberalization – combined with the growth in global shipping, marine recreation and leisure/ tourism, offshore oil and gas production, and the emergence of new oceans technologies – these numbers are rapidly increasing. 

This growth is putting new pressures on our oceans: congested waterways, port security and conflicts over use, to name just a few.

At the same time, a wide range of complicated environmental problems are increasingly challenging the world’s oceans, and the maritime industries that rely on them. 

Climate change. Over fishing. Pollution. It’s seems every time we turn around we learn of another test of the oceans’ ecosystems, from the decline in fish populations and loss of biodiversity, to the invasion of exotic species, the deterioration of coastal habitats essential to fish and wildlife, and the bleaching of coral reefs throughout the world’s oceans.  The environmental message is quite clear: collectively, the nations of the world cannot continue to exploit the oceans’ wealth with impunity, or we will lose its invaluable and life-sustaining assets.

It’s time for us to achieve a new balance between development and the environmental health of our oceans – to chart a new course in our relationship with these great bodies of water and life. But how will we go about achieving this new equilibrium?  I don’t pretend to be an expert in oceans management, but clearly a greater commitment to an integrated approach to ecosystems management will have to be a key part of the equation. 

So too will more meaningful international cooperation. The nations of the world will have to work together more effectively to enforce international laws and regulations, coordinate commercial and recreational use, and develop and share the scientific knowledge and technologies we need to secure the oceans’ future.

In fact, in my view, our ability to enhance our understanding of the oceans through impartial, credible scientific discovery stands on its own as the third part of the equation.

Oceans Science – The New Frontier

I said at the outset that I consider oceans science to be the next big scientific frontier. I stand by this statement.

The sustainable management and development of our oceans will require a level of scientific exploration of the physical, biological, economic, social and cultural forces that play on our oceans that goes far beyond our current state of knowledge and technical capacity. 

Yet, the potential for significant discovery -- together with the possible benefits of the scientific and technical spin-offs – is enormous. 

Oceans science and innovation have the capability to make a tremendous contribution to the quality of life of all humanity, helping us to: protect marine biodiversity; develop new sources of energy; meet our growing requirements for food; create much-needed pharmaceuticals and nutritional supplements and ensure that ocean transportation is safe.

It’s hardly surprising, then, that more and more countries are taking a fresh look at the strategic importance of oceans science and the development of their marine and ocean technology industries.

The recent report of the United States Presidential Commission on Ocean Policy, for example, makes a strong argument for a renewed commitment to oceans science and technology. 

Other countries – such as Britain and Australia as well as Canada – have engaged in foresight and roadmapping activities to scope out potential oceans science and technology requirements and future markets. 

Some of you will be familiar with – or will have participated in – Canada’s Marine and Ocean Technology Roadmap, an industry-led exercise that has opened up a very useful dialogue about Canada’s ocean industries and led to a greater synergy among ocean sector players.

Canada’s Strengths in Marine and Oceans S&T

So how is Canada doing in terms of marine and oceans S&T? Well, while not an across-the-board powerhouse, Canada is a leader in several key niche areas of oceans-related science and technology development as shown in this slide. 

Canada’s federal and provincial government labs, universities and industry have developed internationally recognized expertise in fields as diverse as ocean mapping and remote sensing, cold-water engineering and autonomous underwater vehicles or AUVs.

Many of these capabilities can be applied across a variety of marine and oceans activities. This is an advantage Canada can build on.

Canada is also involved in a growing number of leading-edge international oceans science and related research collaborations.

The NEPTUNE project is probably the first to come to mind these days. 

I know that Chris Barnes will be giving us the inside story on this important $300M Canada-U.S. collaboration. But briefly, this exciting project is set to revolutionize our understanding of the complex processes that go on just above, below and on the ocean floor, like the Hubble Telescope has done for space.

The NEPTUNE project will create a cabled ocean observatory off the coast of British Columbia, Washington and Oregon by running a 3,000 km network of powered fibre optic cable on the seabed over the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate. This observatory will provide unprecedented access to the deep sea, enabling the international research community to respond to all kinds of global challenges and opportunities, from the development of early warning systems for earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in the oceans to predicting changes in climate and examining new ecosystems and life forms in the deep. 

Led by the University of Victoria and the University of Washington, NEPTUNE involves a host of Canadian and U.S. government, university and industry players. Several other international partners are also now coming on stream, including Japan, Germany, France and the United Kingdom.

Another of Canada’s ocean S&T assets is the international reputation of its small, but growing marine and ocean technology industry. 

Increasing numbers of Canadian firms – many of which are small and medium sized enterprises (or SMEs) – are making their mark in global niche markets. Canadian businesses are competing successfully in a range of specialized areas from modular drilling units to integrated ship and onshore information systems.

A typical example is Clearwater Fine Foods. Working closely with the Geological Survey of Canada and the Canadian Hydrographic Service, the firm has developed a technology to visualize the seabed to identify prime scallop habitat and concentrations. The technology – which combines multibeam sonar bathymetric charts and images, GPS and an onboard computer to log catch data – facilitates selective harvesting based on stock management criteria and market demand.  Canada is also home to three growing or emerging ocean-based technology clusters. 

The cluster in St. John’s, Newfoundland – known as Oceans Advance -- is growing steadily and actively positioning itself as an international centre of choice for ocean technologies. With 35 core firms, the cluster is now a source of jobs for close to 1000 people. 

In Rimouski, Quebec, Le Technopole maritime du Québec is working to link and promote Quebec’s marine and ocean technology firms along the St. Lawrence. The TMQ network brings together some 13 marine research, development and technology transfer centres, six shipyards and over 100 companies involved in marine technology, biotechnology, aquaculture and bio-food processing.  And here in Victoria, similar efforts are getting underway to nurture and connect the region’s ocean technology enterprises and research assets.

A Vision for Canada

I’d like to switch gears now and lay out a challenge for Canada’s ocean and marine industries. 

Canada has a proud Maritime tradition. The dynamics of the marine economy are changing rapidly – with technology becoming more and more essential in every sector. 

Why not challenge ourselves – government, industry and academia – to make Canada a global leader in oceans management and oceans science and technologies? 

The realization of such a vision would help to significantly advance Canada’s social and economic objectives – generating wealth, jobs and improvements to our quality of life, especially in coastal communities.

Our strategy can be quite simple to begin with: namely building on existing strengths and identifying additional opportunities in related areas.  Already, there are a host of possibilities on the horizon. 

Take oil and gas for example. Canada’s expertise in cold-water engineering, sea ice monitoring and environmental modelling can give us a definitive edge as energy exploration and production move into deeper waters and environmentally sensitive Arctic areas.

Indeed, Canada is already recognized as an international leader in methane hydrate research. Methane -- or gas -- hydrates are clathrates – substances in which methane or other hydrocarbons are trapped in the lattice of ice. Located beneath large portions of the world’s arctic and marine continental shelves, they have the potential to yield more energy than all other forms of hydrocarbons – oil, gas and coal – combined. 

In 2002, Canada led an international research effort in the McKenzie Delta in the Canadian Arctic that indicated for the first time that gas production from gas hydrates is technically feasible. Expertise developed through this work – and other offshore hydrate research in Canada -- should be in demand for further research collaborations around the world. Canada is already working with countries such as Japan, India and the USA on gas hydrate R&D. Another related area where we could develop an edge is in specialized shipbuilding and instrumentation. Canada’s experience in constructing research vessels and rollon/rolloff ferries can be an advantage as growth in maritime transportation and offshore energy, increase demand for specialized ships and drilling platforms.

A third possibility lies in the great interest in gaining a better understanding of unique life forms and energy systems associated with deep-sea clefts and volcanic activity at extreme depths. This is an area ripe for scientific exploration and discovery with potential longer term spin-offs.

Which leads me to ocean technologies and services. Here too Canada’s lead in ocean mapping, environmental modelling and data management can be further developed into a competitive strength. 

And there are similar opportunities waiting to be explored in marine and port operations, environmental management, aquaculture and wild fish capture.

The key will be to develop a clear vision of where we want to go and to build the research and business networks capable of feeding the innovation pipeline and commercializing Canada’s successes. The momentum generated by the Marine and Ocean Technology Roadmap gives us a good starting point.

Key Challenges

Of course, all is not likely to be clear sailing. There are barriers to overcome, and we will have to develop practical solutions to deal with them.

Briefly these include:

• The intricacy and sensitivity of ocean ecosystems. 
• Limited awareness amongst decision-makers and the public of the potential for marine and ocean technologies to contribute to sustainable economic growth and quality of life of Canadians. 
• The complexity of Canada’s ocean innovation system. The diversity of players requires a significant effort to coordinate and exchange knowledge and information.
• And many of the typical barriers to commercialization for SMEs. These include skills and management capacity, availability of venture capital, access to international markets, and the predictability of the regulatory environment.

In my view, both industry and government must challenge themselves and each other to address these issues – for example, when it comes to commercialization, it is industry that has the responsibility for getting new products and processes to market. Government’s role is principally to set the appropriate tax and regulatory environment and to act as a catalyst.

However, there are other important ways in which government can help.

A key area is procurement. Government can lend a hand as an early adopter of new technologies. Several government fleets – the Coast Guard, the Navy, and at the provincial level, ocean-going ferries – will soon be due for renewal. Government can use the opportunity to order made-in-Canada “ships of the future,” with green propulsion systems, self-loading mechanisms and other “smart” features. A fine example of how this can make a difference is the story of Ballard Power Systems, which got the boost it needed back in 1983 when it landed a small contract to develop a quiet power source for the Canadian military.

Government has an essential role to play in the international arena as well – working with other governments to protect the environmental integrity of the oceans, update international marine safety regulations, and promote international scientific cooperation in oceans research.

Naturally, many of us would be happy to see government provide more funding for R&D or specific commercialization initiatives. But there are other ways government can make a difference as a partner to industry – especially by drawing on its ability to bring key players together, to facilitate the sharing of information, and to catalyze new initiatives, such as the cluster building efforts I mentioned a moment ago.

Looking Ahead

Looking ahead, I see several opportunities to advance this vision for growth.

A particularly exciting opportunity is the upcoming International Polar Year (IPY), due to take place in 2007-2008. 

The first International Polar Year in 50 years, IPY 2007-2008 will feature an intense, international campaign of research that is expected to be a landmark in international polar science and lay the foundations for decades of future polar research. In total, the projected global IPY research budget is expected to exceed $1 B, with about 100 countries participating.

Research will focus on both Polar Regions and will recognize the strong links these regions have with the rest of the planet, especially their role in controlling climate change. Research programs will cross many disciplines, including cultural, social, health, and geophysical and biological studies.

From an oceans perspective, this is an opportunity not to be missed. 

Obviously, there will be many tie-ins with oceans science – both in terms of the research program and the development of public policy. 

Canada is just beginning to organize its participation in the IPY. I urge all of you to consider how you might get involved in this opportunity to showcase Canadian oceans science and technologies.

A second important opportunity lies in the government’s commitment to advance the Oceans Action Plan. Oceans science, innovation and the commercialization of marine and oceans technologies are explicitly highlighted as one of the four pillars of the plan. 

The oceans science community is in a position to provide useful input as this plan unfolds, and should work to speak with a strong voice in support of initiatives that can advance Canada’s research capabilities or capacity to commercialize Canadian technologies. 

For example, a proposal to develop four ocean technology demonstration projects is currently attracting support from a range of government, academic and private sector partners.

The proposal includes:

• A traffic pattern, security and defence demonstration project on the lower St. Lawrence (known as Showcase St. Lawrence).
• A marine safety project on Placentia Bay, Newfoundland.
• An ice movement and ice management project somewhere in the Arctic Archipelago that would involve climate change and northern science.
• And an oil and gas exploration and use of ocean space project – probably tying in with the NEPTUNE initiative – on the West Coast.

The key here, as always, is to think creatively about how to get the message out – both nationally and internationally – that Canada’s oceans science and ocean technologies can play a leading role in helping to sustainably manage the world’s ocean resources and marine activities. 

The other absolute must is to use opportunities to build partnerships and networks that can leverage support and resources.

For my part, you can count on me to be a strong advocate for Canadian oceans science and the growth of an internationally competitive marine and oceans industry.

And speaking of champions, I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge the leadership of Dr. Peter Harrison, Senior Research Fellow for Oceans at the National Research Council. Peter’s vision and tremendous networking abilities have been instrumental in advancing the Oceans Action Plan and raising the profile of oceans science and innovation in key decision-making circles across the country.

Conclusion

In closing, I would like to emphasize again that oceans science is an emerging new scientific frontier. I’ll make 5 final points:

• Both Canada’s and the world’s ocean areas must be managed in a way that achieves a balance between ocean development and environmental health.
• Canada is fortunate to have both a public and private oceans science community that is internationally recognized in a number of important niche areas.
• Canada has an opportunity to expand on this asset and to be a global leader in several key areas of oceans science and innovation – particularly those relating to the Arctic and cold-water activities.
• Success in such an endeavour would bring significant economic, social, health and environmental benefits to Canada, especially to the communities up and down our coastlines. 
• Oceans, science and sustainable growth -- this is an important legacy to leave to our children. 

  My challenge to all of you here is to work together towards this goal.

Your meetings over the next few days are an important step forward. I wish you well with your conference.