Minister Paradis and Minister of State Goodyear Welcome State of the Nation Report by Science, Technology and Innovation Council

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - June 28, 2011) - The Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry, and the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), today received Imagination to Innovation: Building Canadian Paths to Prosperity, the second State of the Nation report from the Science, Technology and Innovation Council (STIC). The report charts Canada's innovation performance and provides benchmarks to measure innovation on an international scale.

"Innovation is a complex economic process and a key driver of productivity and competitiveness," said Minister Paradis. "Our government wants to sustain the sources of future growth and help Canadians secure high-wage jobs in the knowledge economy. In benchmarking Canada's innovation performance, this report points to where we need to focus our attention. I would like to thank council members for their hard work."

Imagination to Innovation puts a focus on business innovation and the ways in which different participants in the innovation system work in partnership. The report looks at product, process and organizational innovation, as well as investments in information and communications technologies.

"Making sure that Canadians have every opportunity to get their ideas from the labs to the marketplace is critical for Canada's future economic growth," said Minister of State Goodyear. "This report, along with the report of the Research and Development Review Expert Panel, will provide our government with important advice as we continue to implement the science and technology strategy and seek ways of maximizing the results of private sector innovation."

STIC was appointed by the government in 2007. It is composed of 18 highly accomplished individuals from the research, education, business and government communities from across Canada. The council's mandate is to provide the Minister of Industry with evidence-based policy advice on science, technology and innovation issues.

A copy of Imagination to Innovation as well as a backgrounder on the report can be downloaded from the STIC website (www.stic-csti.ca).