Kevin Lynch is the vice-chair of the Bank of Montreal and the former clerk of the Privy Council. He will deliver the Bell Lecture on March 1st.
At the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, world leaders identified innovation as the driver of successful economies. According to Kevin Lynch, this is an area where Canada lags behind.
“Canada is not good at innovation. That’s the challenge and the question is how we deal with it,” argues Kevin Lynch, who will deliver the Bell Lecture entitled, “Can Canada Become an Innovation Nation—and Why Does it Matter?” on March 1st at Carleton University.
The Dick, Ruth, and Judy Bell Lecture is part of 2016 FPA Research Month, an event series that features 30 days of public lectures, research symposiums, and panel discussions.
“There’s no single culprit in our lack of innovation, but a pervasive failure in both the private and public sector,” says Mr. Lynch, who has been a leader in both. “We don’t really have a national innovation policy, but the underlying precursors to innovation have to come from the private sector—spending on design, R&D, and training,” says Mr. Lynch.
He also sees a role for universities in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. He argues business incubators aren’t enough; “A lab serving 25 kids isn’t enough. We have to find a way to take a great idea and scale it up for the entire student body. Then you’re having a big impact.”
Lastly, he cites the recent discussion at the World Economic Forum as an example of the rapid change Canada is facing. Political and business leaders discussed a so-called “Fourth Industrial Revolution” due to the artificial intelligence underlying so many aspects of society.
“Canada can be a player or an observer, but the cost of being an observer is going up and up,” says Mr. Lynch. “Fostering innovation is not just an economic issue, but a social issue, as well.”
Kevin Lynch will deliver the Dick, Ruth, and Judy Bell Lecture, entitled “Can Canada Become an Innovation Nation—and Why Does it Matter?” on March 1st at Carleton University.
Tuesday, February 23, 2016 in FPA Research Series, News
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