Thank you to the organizers of CONNECT 2013 for inviting me to join you today: the District School Board of Niagara, Brock University's Faculty of Education and MindShare Learning.
I am delighted to be part of Canada's first ever conference dedicated to learning and technology in the classroom. As delegates, you have a unique opportunity to explore how technology can enhance the experiences of teaching and learning for everyone, from our youngest pupils in kindergarten to university students.
This conference touches on a number of themes that are important to our future: the importance of innovation, the growth of science and technology, and the need for new, cross-sector partnerships.
The use of technology is already leading to dramatic results in classrooms across Canada, and today's agenda reflects that new reality. There are sessions on the use of apps, on digital textbooks and on video conferencing tools such as Skype and Google Hangouts, to name but a few.
Educators everywhere are taking note of how students are achieving better results and enjoying their learning experience more than ever through the use of these tools.
A perfect example of the usefulness of new technologies is happening high above us—about 370 kilometres above the earth. Astronaut Chris Hadfield is overseeing operations as the first Canadian commander of the International Space Station.
And he's gaining fans across the planet one tweet at a time.
Commander Hadfield has well over half a million Twitter followers. They track his prolific commentary from space, learning from his observations and fantastic photos and videos of everyday life on the ISS. Knowledge transfer of this kind is the key to enhancing the learning experience. Knowledge transfer of any kind is key to strengthening Canada's position as a global innovation leader.
Our government's first priority is the economy, and we know that curiosity, innovative thinking and the development of digital skills are vital to the economy.
So let me tell you today how our government will work with you to help promote discovery and learning.
For one, we are providing vast amounts of information through our Open Data Portal.
More than a quarter of a million machine-readable, geo-spatial government data sets in health, environment, agriculture and natural resources are now freely available to anyone.
This is helping provide the tools that people—including students—need to push their ideas forward.
In fact, my colleague, Treasury Board President Tony Clement, recently held a Google Hangout with a group of tech experts to talk about how Open Data can promote innovation.
Such developments open doors to the economy of tomorrow. Our young learners will be the next generation of Canadian entrepreneurs and problem solvers, and we must nurture their passion and curiosity about the world.
As Minister of State for Science and Technology, I want to ensure that we develop a culture of investigation and discovery.
A few years ago, during the worst of the global economic crisis, our government launched a program to revitalize learning facilities at universities, cégeps and colleges across Canada. It was called the Knowledge Infrastructure Program, or KIP, and through it we invested in more than 500 projects at post-secondary institutions from coast to coast.
Local jobs were maintained and created. New buildings were constructed. Existing facilities received much-needed upgrades.
Niagara College was one recipient of KIP funding. Its new, $40-million Applied Health Institute in Welland has expanded the capacity of the school's health programs by 1,000 students and brought these programs all under one roof: 9,100 square metres of new space, including classrooms and labs, a 300-seat auditorium, simulation laboratories with computerized mannequins for the nursing program, and a cutting-edge dental clinic.
These additions will improve students' lab-based learning, and their professors will be better able to assess their clinical abilities.
The government has also put in place programs for pre-university students.
We want to encourage our young people's interest in science and in science-based careers.
Take, for example, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada's PromoScience program. It helps children develop critical thinking skills, meet role models and gain hands-on exposure to science—whether learning about ecosystems while on a hike with a scientist or mulling over futuristic machines at a robotics camp.
Last year, 49 organizations, including universities, non-governmental organizations, museums and science centres, received new funding under the program to bring science to life for young Canadians. Awards for 2013 will be announced soon.
Here in southern Ontario, under my purview as Minister responsible for FedDev Ontario, the Youth STEM Initiative—targeting science, technology, engineering and mathematics—is helping young people recognize the rewards of an education or career in the sciences.
Youth STEM helps not-for-profit organizations deliver science education programs in schools and at events throughout the region through hands-on activities, workshops and interaction with working scientists.
Since launching Youth STEM in Welland just over two years ago, we have helped many organizations such as Actua, Earth Rangers, FIRST Robotics Canada, Let's Talk Science, Partners in Research and Scientists in School underline the benefits of science and innovation to thousands of young people.
In fact, Scientists in School is expanding delivery of classroom workshops to regions where there is currently limited programming.
And just recently, two Canadian teams from Toronto and Mississauga won the FIRST Robotics Competition Championship with a team from Texas in St. Louis, Missouri.
The National Research Council of Canadaintroduces young people to science through its work with Sanofi BioGENEius Challenge Canada, a national biotechnology-focused competition.
High school students are paired with mentors who guide their research in health care, agriculture and the environment and help them conduct experiments in world-class facilities, including laboratories at the NRC.
Our government is committed to ensuring our brightest minds succeed throughout their education and discovery process.
We have in place a series of post-secondary scholarships, fellowships and research chair programs that support every stage of an exceptional scientific career—Canada Graduate scholarships for masters students who demonstrate exceptionally high achievement, Vanier scholarships for those at the doctoral level, and Banting fellowships for top-tier post-doctoral researchers.
We also have well-funded programs to support professors and established scientists. Our Canada Excellence Research Chairs, for example, offer $10-million awards for elite university researchers and their teams.
This support, provided through the federal granting councils, plays a major role in boosting our research performance—the results of which are evident in our academic sector. Canada's institutions continue to perform well in global rankings, with the University of Toronto and Montréal's McGill University in the top 20 internationally. The University of British Columbia also consistently places well in such rankings.
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Canada continues to lead the G7 in higher-education expenditures on research and development, expressed as a percentage of GDP.
As I said, our government seeks to inspire Canadians of all ages to learn and pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. And we recognize the essential role that educators play in that endeavour.
The Prime Minister's Awards for Teaching Excellence honour outstanding elementary and secondary school teachers who, through the innovative use of information and communications technologies in the classroom, help students develop the knowledge and skills to succeed in the digital economy.
Curiosity, innovative thinking and the development of digital skills are vital to the economy. Canada can be a world leader in research and information technologies if we encourage risk taking, competitive spirit, creative thinking and bold new approaches to traditional challenges. Through programs that encourage curiosity and promote science and technology, we are preparing our children for the jobs of the future, creating a stronger economy and improving the quality of life of Canadians for years to come.
I wish you all a successful conference. Thank you.
