French(CA) 
In order to address the widely reported lack of R&D commercialization in Canada, our finance minister, Jim Flaherty, met with officials overseeing the Israeli R&D policies. Israel’s R&D government funding model is widely admired and hugely successful. Over the past few years this government funding model propelled Israel to the number one spot in the world for the highest number of startups per capita.
“They’ve certainly had remarkable success and there are aspects of what has been done in Israel that we need to look at closely and perhaps emulate,” Flaherty told reporters on a conference call.
The government has not made it clear what changes will be made to the existing $7 billion in government funding for innovation (this includes direct funding such as Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) and indirect funding such as Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED). However Harper has said that he will consult the Tom Jenkins report submitted to the government last November. The Jenkins report recommended a number of changes specifically related to providing more direct funding such as grants to specific industries and companies. At the same time the Jenkins report recommends major changes to the flagship indirect broad based SR&ED funding program.
“We would be less than wise if we did not have a very close look at what they’re doing and choose some of the opportunities here to use in Canada,” Flaherty said.
