Nathan VanderKlippe
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 09/02) - Taking a familiar set of ingredients and mixing them into a slightly different recipe, a NWT forum on innovation met last week to discuss problems with government and staff training in the North.

The workshop, which drew about 40 leaders from the government, business and education communities, was organized by the federal government as part of its "Canada's Innovation Strategy" consultation program. Last February, Industry Canada released two discussion papers on innovation in Canada, and has since scheduled 34 meetings to talk about making Canada increasingly leading in change.

The federal government defines innovation as "finding ways to do things better than before."

The principle is broad and vague, and discussion in Yellowknife was only slightly less so.

Participants drafted a lengthy wish list for the federal government -- then promptly said they don't expect the federal government to follow through.

Discussion was hosted by three local co-chairs -- Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce president Dave McPherson, Aurora College president Maurice Evans and RWED assistant deputy minister Doug Doan.

The list included few new issues, said participants, who complained that the government has done extensive consultations on similar matters in the past, but hasn't moved on anything.

Among the issues presented:

- a need for more private-public partnerships

- a need for a different definition of success in schools, moving emphasis from university education to trades work, which is abundant in the NWT

- a need for more pure research in the NWT, including the idea of a cold weather testing centre in Yellowknife

- a need for a "broadband of asphalt" -- paved roads all the way to Yellowknife, and elsewhere in the territory, plus improved infrastructure everywhere

- a need for stronger literacy initiatives

- a need to reduce turf wars between communities and focus on co-operative initiatives.

But talk is cheap and action comes at a cost.

"I'd really like to see a round-table on actual implementation of this stuff," said workshop participant Graeme Dargo.

Doan was more direct.

"I don't think we can count on it (actually seeing money from the federal government) and I don't think we should count on it," he said, urging territorial representatives to make innovation their own priority -- creating home-grown solutions to local problems.

Because even the government didn't offer much assurance.

"Could we move faster? Probably. If you want the federal government to move on the innovation agenda, it won't happen because the government is the least innovative institution," said John Morin, regional director of planning, analysis and communication for Industry Canada.