The Speech From the Throne: Investing in Knowledge and Creativity

Canada is facing a dizzying array of technological and economic transformations. We are increasingly part of a global village and a global economy. In this new economy, knowledge, innovation and creativity are the keys to preserving and enhancing prosperity.

With the nation's finances in good shape, we will soon be in a position to make choices and investments that support innovation and risk-taking in Canada, and to attract more foreign investment in knowledge- based industries.

This is a key to how we will continue to spur job creation and enhance our prosperity in the 21^st century.

In our first mandate we made tremendous progress in this area. Our endowment of the Canada Foundation for Innovation is helping to build a leading-edge national system of innovation; the Networks of Centres of Excellence link researchers across the country to help develop new science and technology; and the Technology Partnerships Canada investment fund is providing up to $250 million a year to partner with business and keep the development, marketing and production of new technology in Canada, creating good jobs for Canadians.

We will continue to build such creative partnerships between the private and public sectors to speed up the adoption of innovative technologies in all sectors of the economy.

We will devise targeted growth strategies that focus on knowledge-intensive sectors where we are strong and have good prospects for new growth and global leadership. For example:

• aerospace;
• bio-pharmaceuticals;
• bio-technology in agriculture and fisheries;
• and environmental, information, and telecommunications technologies.

  We will maintain our focus on helping small and medium-size businesses develop and commercialize new technology. To that end ,we will increase funding for the Industrial Research Assistance Program, which promotes the diffusion of technology and is especially valuable for small business throughout Canada.

  We want to make sure that no one is left behind in the new economy. All Canadians, from all regions and walks of life must share in its opportunities and prosperity. We will explore innovative policies and measures that focus on the special needs of rural Canada.

  We will also assist our artists reach audiences at home and abroad by increasing support for the Canada Council. And we will make a special effort to promote trade in Canadian cultural and educational products and services abroad.

  By the year 2000, we will make the new information and knowledge infrastructure accessible to all Canadians.

  Our goal is to make Canada the most connected nation in the world. A connected nation is one which all citizens have access to the skills and knowledge they need to benefit from Canada's rapidly changing knowledge and information infrastructure

  By 1998, the SchoolNet program will have connected every school and library in Canada to the Internet - an initiative that Microsoft's Bill Gates has praised as "...the leading program in the world in terms of letting getting kids get out and use their computers."

  It is also a nation whose people are connected to each other. We will continue to work with provinces to ensure greater inter-provincial mobility for people with disabilities and to ensure their integration into the economic and social mainstream of Canadian life. And we will also enact measures to bring Canadians closer together by increasing their awareness of Canada and understanding among Canadians; these measures will include enhanced exchange programs for young Canadians.

  As an important sign of our commitment to promoting creativity, we will help build a partnership among governments, communities and citizens to mark the new millennium. We want the ideas, input of all Canadians. And we will also be inviting the input of all parliamentarians.

  
  

We will maintain our focus on helping small and medium-size businesses develop and commercialize new technology. To that end ,we will increase funding for the Industrial Research Assistance Program, which promotes the diffusion of technology and is especially valuable for small business throughout Canada.

We want to make sure that no one is left behind in the new economy. All Canadians, from all regions and walks of life must share in its opportunities and prosperity. We will explore innovative policies and measures that focus on the special needs of rural Canada.

We will also assist our artists reach audiences at home and abroad by increasing support for the Canada Council. And we will make a special effort to promote trade in Canadian cultural and educational products and services abroad.

By the year 2000, we will make the new information and knowledge infrastructure accessible to all Canadians.

Our goal is to make Canada the most connected nation in the world. A connected nation is one which all citizens have access to the skills and knowledge they need to benefit from Canada's rapidly changing knowledge and information infrastructure

By 1998, the SchoolNet program will have connected every school and library in Canada to the Internet - an initiative that Microsoft's Bill Gates has praised as "...the leading program in the world in terms of letting getting kids get out and use their computers."

It is also a nation whose people are connected to each other. We will continue to work with provinces to ensure greater inter-provincial mobility for people with disabilities and to ensure their integration into the economic and social mainstream of Canadian life. And we will also enact measures to bring Canadians closer together by increasing their awareness of Canada and understanding among Canadians; these measures will include enhanced exchange programs for young Canadians.

As an important sign of our commitment to promoting creativity, we will help build a partnership among governments, communities and citizens to mark the new millennium. We want the ideas, input of all Canadians. And we will also be inviting the input of all parliamentarians.