True North strong and unique

In an era of rapid technological advancement and interconnected global challenges, as outlined in Waterloo at 100, Canada faces a pivotal moment: how to secure its place as a leader in innovation — without sacrificing what makes it unique. 

This question drove the discussions at the Mapping out the Global Innovation Landscape Conference, held at the Balsillie School of International Affairs on November 21, 2024, as part of International Education Week. 

The one-day conference, organized by Waterloo International brought together experts from academia, industry, and government to discuss Canada’s role in emerging and disruptive technologies, from artificial intelligence and biotechnology to quantum computing and autonomous systems. 

Look where nobody is looking: Finding opportunities in global innovation 

The conference opened with a panel discussion on how Canada can navigate the inherently global nature of disruptive technologies like AI and quantum computing, balancing the need for international collaboration with safeguarding research and innovation. 

The panel featured experts like Paul Thoppil, Indo-Pacific Trade Representative from Global Affairs Canada, and Laura Yu of Mitacs, and explored strategies to enhance Canada’s competitiveness. 

“Look where nobody is looking,” Yu suggested, emphasizing that Canada must focus on emerging markets with untapped potential. While opportunities abound, panellists agreed that competition in the global market for digital expertise demands a more strategic, proactive approach. 

Leveraging Canadian values to fuel innovation

A second panel, moderated by Dr. Chris Houser, Dean of Science at Waterloo, tackled Canada’s comparative advantages. 

Dr. Gitanjali Adlakha-Hutcheon, a scientist at Canada’s Department of National Defence, used the metaphor of two teams — red and blue — to describe the global innovation landscape. Liberal democracies like Canada, Japan, and Europe represent the blue team, playing by rules grounded in transparency and accountability. The red team, composed of authoritarian countries, plays by entirely different rules. 

“It’s about leveraging the tools and technologies we have while aligning with our values of transparency, accountability and fairness,” Adlakha-Hutcheon explained. “These are foundational principles in how we approach innovation.” 

Dongwoo Kim, formerly of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, urged Canada to lean into its identity. While acknowledging challenges, such as competing with higher salaries in the U.S., Kim noted that many professionals return to Canada for quality-of-life reasons. 

“They’re coming back to raise their families for reasons connected to their values,” he said. “That’s something we should lean into to bring innovation back to Canada.” 

Panellist Jordan Zed, the assistant secretary to the cabinet on Artificial Intelligence for the Privy Council Office, added that this values-driven approach to innovation extends to whom we partner with. "There’s no doubt we need to reach beyond the traditional partnerships. The challenge is finding partners that align with our values while complementing our strengths in innovation." 

Developing a talent pipeline for the future 

The final panel, moderated by Sanjeev Gill, associate vice-president, innovation, and executive director of WatSPEED, addressed how Canada can build a robust talent pipeline while safeguarding its research ecosystem. 

“What makes Canada, Canada?” asked Agustian Sutrisno, a visiting scholar from Indonesia at Bishop’s University. “If you can sell that and convince people of it, they will come here despite any flaws.” 

Panellists highlighted Canada’s multicultural society and emphasis on safety, accessibility and stability as key differentiators in the global race for talent. Yet challenges remain.

Despite significant investments in AI and innovation ecosystems like Scale AI and superclusters, Canada struggles to convert early-stage expertise into scalable, commercialized technologies. 

“We do a great job of developing talent, but we don’t always retain it or turn it into meaningful outcomes,” Gill admitted. 

The panel called for Canada to prioritize long-term strategies that foster creativity, ethical frameworks and critical thinking. Countries like Singapore were cited as leaders in embedding digital competencies into education, ensuring a steady flow of skilled professionals ready to meet future challenges. 

“If we think about what it means to be a digital society, then critical thinking, creativity, and ethical frameworks become the fundamentals for long-term success,” Amanda Green, senior advisor, Waterloo Region, Mitacs said. “That’s where Canada should focus.” 

A blueprint for Canada’s innovation future 

As the conference concluded, host Dr. Bessma Momani, associate vice-president, international, at the University of Waterloo, emphasized the event’s goal of actionable insights. 

“This conference was a call to action,” Momani said. “It showcased how international collaboration can amplify Canada’s strengths and position us to tackle shared challenges.” 

One standout message emerged: Canada’s success hinges on embracing its values, developing a strategy around them, and investing in the people and projects that can grow the country’s profile on the global stage. 

“This conference exemplifies Waterloo’s role as a leader in fostering global connections,” Momani added. “By bringing together diverse expertise, we’ve taken another step toward discovering who we are, what advantages we have, and where we belong in a time of continuous transformation.”