This theme had to do generally with the conference's lack of treatment of issues to do with Sustainability. A hand-drawn cartoon had appeared on the conference information board. Arthur Hanson initially noted that although sustainable development and competitiveness have developed along parallel, non-intersecting paths, it is important to bring sustainability into the economic fora. The most pronounced research issue raised, as mentioned above, was the need to make a commitment to Sustainability as an area of inquiry. Environmental technology links innovation to sustainability.
Sustainability is thus related to both competitiveness and innovation.
The changes that occur when industry adapts to new standards and regulations can produce unexpected results in terms of finding and developing new efficiencies for the firm. New regulations can also serve to bring people from across industry together, and to open up issues. There is a need to foster and recognize common interests in development, innovation, sustainability, competitiveness and resources - and these should be common endeavours. Harris commented on the predominant economic focus of the conference, and his own expectations that Sustainability would play a larger role as a theme. He also noted that not much had been said thus far on the role that Canada has to play, and he chose therefore to focus on Canadian issues.