We have embraced the knowledge economy and globalisation. We have re-engineered and we have retooled. Today, with technology changing rapidly, product cycles shortening dramatically, and in a world without frontiers, Canadians know we have to be ahead of the curve. Setting aside the dot-com craze, the true new economy is to be found in enduring change through a cascade of new technologies. This is producing a shift that is adding value and momentum to a wide range of existing industries, from traditional manufacturing to agriculture, from mining to oil and gas.
New technologies create new industries.
In Canada we have moved to take advantage of this new reality. As any chef knows, a tasty recipe requires the best ingredients. In Canada, we have the highest percentage of our population online of any country in the world. Canada was the first to connect all of its schools and libraries to the Internet. We have the highest per capita ownership of home computers and the widest access to cable systems in the world.