Speculation runs rampant as White Paper progresses towards possible fall release

Has the Innovation White Paper got the blues?

The lid has been snapped shut on official information about the federal government’s Innovation White Paper, but that doesn’t mean there’s any lack of opinion or rumours surrounding the eagerly awaited document. In recent weeks the buzz has taken a decidedly negative tone with reports of escalating conflict between Industry Canada and Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) — the two lead departments responsible for the White Paper’s development. Some observers have even gone as far as to speculate that the whole process is all but dead, while others contend that two documents may be produced by IC and HRDC dealing respectively with the economic and skills and learning aspects of innovation.

Adding fuel to the fire are unconfirmed reports that the White Paper did not go to Cabinet for consideration during its recent retreat following the recess of Parliament. Instead of seeking buy-in on initiatives they were promoting, ministers simply presented key points within their portfolio and settled for non-binding expressions of support. With the Finance minister conspicuously absent from the pre-summer gathering, the White Paper was apparently barely discussed and the meeting wrapped up early.

That leaves the White Paper in the hands of senior advisors to the relevant ministers, where the document will be refined and shaped before loving up to the political level for a decision.

POSSIBILITY OF TWO SEPARATE PAPERS

A draft of the White Paper has now been completed, but the process is far from over as senior bureaucrats wrangle over the content and focus it should take. White papers on innovation typically deal primarily with the economic aspects of encouraging innovation, but with the incorporation of the HRDC component, it also has a strong emphasis on the skills and learning agenda.

The combination of the two agendas has proved unwieldy for those on the inter-departmental team attempting to fashion a comprehensive document on Canadian innovation that outlines what is required to move the nation forward in the knowledge-based economy.

Inevitably, disagreement between the two camps has been interpreted as an impasse, fuelling rampant speculation that the two sides are barely talking, if at all. One source told RE$EARCH MONEY that the failure of the government to produce the White Paper would be lamentable while the production of two separate papers would be a fiasco.

Yet the release of separate papers dealing with the economic and social aspects of innovation is a distinct possibility. Bureaucrats and politicians alike may see such an option as the path of least resistance in confronting what’s perceived to be the natural conflict between the two areas .It would also leave an Industry Canada-led White paper to focus on what it considers to be the best strategy for an economic innovation strategy and which components would be best suited to meet the objectives.

Officially, the line is that the internal process of developing the White Paper is proceeding apace, but the lack of official attention being paid to the document is interpreted as cause for concern.

While the bureaucrats continue with their strategizing and packaging of the White Paper, initiatives being proposed from within and from outside government lie languishing, and frustration amongst the respective stakeholders is increasing. RES$EARCH MONEY has reported on man of these proposals, ranging from national commercialization vehicles, the eMPOWR Canada plan for increasing research and skills in key technologies, and a host of requests from the science-based departments and agencies totalling billions of dollars. And the government’s examination of how to address the growing problem of indirect costs of university research have also been stalled, not to mention concrete responses to recommendations emanating from various advisory bodies.

All are seemingly on hold until the White Paper is released, which will be followed by a consultation process before any final decisions are taken. And the timing of the next federal Budget will also impact on the timing of events, depending on whether it is presented this fall or in its usual February time slot.

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