Speech (committee meeting)

{
    "time": "2016-09-21 17:50:00",
    "attribution": {
        "en": "Mr. Peter Hogan (Vice-President, Nova Scotia, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency)",
        "fr": "M. Peter Hogan (vice-pr\u00e9sident, Nouvelle-\u00c9cosse, Agence de promotion \u00e9conomique du Canada atlantique)"
    },
    "content": {
        "en": "<p data-HoCid=\"4487212\" data-originallang=\"en\">Mr. Chairman, committee members, good evening.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487213\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Thank you for the opportunity to speak today.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487214\" data-originallang=\"en\">I am joined by Mr. Chuck Maillet, the director general of regional operations.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487215\" data-originallang=\"en\">As you heard from my colleagues yesterday, ACOA is the regional development agency responsible for building and promoting Atlantic Canada's economy. The agency provides programs and services that support innovation, productivity, and diversification. Through its proactive engagement, ACOA is able to respond swiftly to economic changes and emerging opportunities.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487216\" data-originallang=\"en\">The region does, however, face a number of challenges, and ACOA is addressing them. Key among these are shifting demographics, labour force participation, the attraction and retention of immigrants, productivity and the commercialization of research, and also growing the base of exporters. There are no easy fixes, but sustained effort based on sound policy analysis is helping to make inroads.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487217\" data-originallang=\"en\">I'd now like to turn to Nova Scotia specifically. At just under a million people, the province has the largest population in Atlantic Canada. With more universities per capita than any jurisdiction in the country, it is recognized internationally as a centre for higher learning. For example, Cape Breton University in Sydney welcomes about a thousand students per year\u2014about 30% of its student body\u2014from over 40 countries. There are similar situations at the other Nova Scotia post-secondary institutions.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487218\" data-originallang=\"en\">The province is also becoming known more and more as a start-up hub. One thing I want to point out is that there's a direct link between high-quality education and a skilled workforce in information and communications technology, life sciences, and clean technology. Graduates are developing innovative solutions to real-world problems and driving growth.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487219\" data-originallang=\"en\">This start-up ecosystem is connected to a national network, attracting funds and venture capital. In fact, Startup Canada just recently presented the agency with its Atlantic entrepreneur support award. It recognizes the work ACOA does with organizations such as Volta. Volta is a Halifax-based start-up house that helps develop businesses with high growth potential.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487220\" data-originallang=\"en\">There's also a growing global awareness of the importance of our oceans. In the 1920s, Nova Scotia's Alistair J. Campbell coined a phrase concerning the province: \u201cCanada's ocean playground\u201d. It's had a very strong brand recognition ever since. But of course the ocean is much more. With one of the highest concentrations of oceans-related Ph.D.s in the world, this sector presents significant opportunities. Already the sector employs about 35,000 in Nova Scotia, and accounts for $4.5 billion, or about 12%, of the provincial GDP.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487221\" data-originallang=\"en\">Recently the Ocean Frontier Institute received $94 million from the federal government, providing strong momentum to this sector. I might add that in addition to Dalhousie, Memorial University of Newfoundland and the University of P.E.I. are also key partners. This investment will help accelerate scientific understanding and the commercialization of new products and services.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487222\" data-originallang=\"en\">Increasing the number of Nova Scotian export-ready businesses is critical. Opportunities exist across a broad spectrum, including such traditional sectors as fisheries and agrifood, where the focus really is on productivity improvements and value-added product lines. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487223\" data-originallang=\"en\">There are, of course, some new sectors, such as clean tech, building an international presence and capturing market share. One example is CarbonCure, based out of Nova Scotia, which is in the process of signing deals with industry leaders. They're essentially a technology firm. They retrofit concrete plants with a technology that recycles carbon dioxide waste to make stronger, affordable, greener products.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487224\" data-originallang=\"en\">Membertou First Nation has created a strong business foundation that is paying significant social and economic dividends for the community in Cape Breton and beyond. In fact, later this month Membertou is hosting the Nova Scotia Mi\u2019kmaq Energy and Innovation Summit. Here businesses will be able to speak directly with representatives from all 13 of Nova Scotia's Mi'kmaq communities.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487225\" data-originallang=\"en\">In the tourism sector, a new dynamic is emerging that resonates with travellers seeking authentic cultural experiences. Visitors with discerning palates can experience locally produced foods prepared by acclaimed chefs and paired with award-winning Nova Scotia wines. This culinary tourism, while relatively new, is showing great promise.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487226\" data-originallang=\"en\">Through direct financial assistance, advocacy, and the ability to leverage knowledge and resources, ACOA is making a difference.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487227\" data-originallang=\"en\">For instance, with the agency's recent contributions to L'Arche, both in Cape Breton and in Wolfville, those two projects are strengthening inclusive social enterprises. With community support, adults with developmental disabilities are participating more fully in the economy.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487228\" data-originallang=\"en\">With the recent introduction of the Atlantic growth strategy back in July, the region is ready for concerted action. Its five pillars\u2014skilled workforce and immigration, innovation, clean growth and climate change, trade and investment, and infrastructure\u2014will support the agency's activities and engagements going forward.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487229\" data-originallang=\"en\">The agency will continue to build on its strong relationships with communities, businesses, and provincial and municipal governments to develop the province's competitive advantages and make a real difference to the economic landscape.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487230\" data-originallang=\"en\">Thank you. </p>",
        "fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"4487212\" data-originallang=\"en\">Monsieur le pr\u00e9sident et membres du Comit\u00e9, bonsoir.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487213\" data-originallang=\"fr\"> Je vous remercie de me donner l'occasion de prendre la parole aujourd'hui.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487214\" data-originallang=\"en\">Je suis accompagn\u00e9 de M. Chuck Maillet, directeur g\u00e9n\u00e9ral, Op\u00e9ration r\u00e9gionales.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487215\" data-originallang=\"en\">Comme mes coll\u00e8gues vous l'ont dit hier, l'APECA est l'agence de d\u00e9veloppement r\u00e9gional responsable de b\u00e2tir et de promouvoir l'\u00e9conomie du Canada atlantique. L\u2019Agence met en oeuvre des programmes et des services qui soutiennent l\u2019innovation, la productivit\u00e9 et la diversification. Et par l\u2019entremise de sa participation proactive, elle est en mesure de r\u00e9pondre rapidement aux changements \u00e9conomiques et aux possibilit\u00e9s \u00e9mergentes.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487216\" data-originallang=\"en\">La r\u00e9gion est aux prises avec plusieurs d\u00e9fis, et l\u2019APECA prend des mesures pour les surmonter. Parmi ces d\u00e9fis, on retrouve notamment l\u2019\u00e9volution d\u00e9mographique, la participation de la main-d\u2019oeuvre, l\u2019attraction et le maintien au pays d\u2019immigrants, la productivit\u00e9, la commercialisation de la recherche ainsi que l\u2019accroissement du nombre d\u2019entreprises exportatrices. Il n\u2019y a pas de solutions faciles, mais nos efforts continus ax\u00e9s sur de solides analyses strat\u00e9giques contribuent \u00e0 r\u00e9aliser des progr\u00e8s.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487217\" data-originallang=\"en\">Tournons-nous maintenant vers la Nouvelle-\u00c9cosse. Avec pr\u00e8s d\u2019un million de personnes, sa population est la plus importante du Canada atlantique. Avec plus d\u2019universit\u00e9s par habitant que tout autre territoire ou province au pays, elle est reconnue internationalement comme un p\u00f4le d\u2019enseignement sup\u00e9rieur. Par exemple, l\u2019Universit\u00e9 Cape Breton \u00e0 Sydney compte 1 000 \u00e9tudiants, soit 30 % de son corps \u00e9tudiant, provenant de 40 pays. D\u2019autres \u00e9tablissements postsecondaires de la province affichent des chiffres semblables.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487218\" data-originallang=\"en\">La province est de plus en plus connue \u00e0 titre de plaque tournante des jeunes entreprises. Je tiens \u00e0 souligner qu'un lien direct s\u2019\u00e9tablit entre l\u2019enseignement de haute qualit\u00e9 et une main-d\u2019oeuvre qualifi\u00e9e dans les domaines de la technologie de l\u2019information et des communications, des sciences de la vie et des technologies propres. Les dipl\u00f4m\u00e9s d\u00e9veloppent des solutions novatrices aux probl\u00e8mes r\u00e9els, ce qui vient stimuler la croissance.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487219\" data-originallang=\"en\">Cet \u00e9cosyst\u00e8me de jeunes entreprises est int\u00e9gr\u00e9 au r\u00e9seau national, attirant des fonds ainsi que des soci\u00e9t\u00e9s de capital-risque. Startup Canada vient de remettre \u00e0 l\u2019Agence son prix pour le soutien de l\u2019entrepreneuriat dans l\u2019Atlantique. On a ainsi reconnu le travail accompli par l\u2019APECA en compagnie d\u2019organismes comme Volta, un incubateur d\u2019entreprises d\u2019Halifax qui aide \u00e0 cr\u00e9er des soci\u00e9t\u00e9s ayant un potentiel de croissance \u00e9lev\u00e9.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487220\" data-originallang=\"en\">On comprend de plus en plus dans le monde l\u2019importance qu\u2019il faut accorder \u00e0 nos oc\u00e9ans. En 1920, Alistair J. Campbell de la Nouvelle-\u00c9cosse a lanc\u00e9 l\u2019expression suivante au sujet de la province: le Paradis maritime du Canada. Cette phrase jouit d\u2019une reconnaissance de marque depuis. Toutefois, l\u2019oc\u00e9an, c\u2019est bien plus encore. Avec l\u2019une des plus importantes concentrations mondiales de dipl\u00f4m\u00e9s du troisi\u00e8me cycle dans le domaine des oc\u00e9ans, ce secteur pr\u00e9sente d\u2019importantes possibilit\u00e9s. D\u00e9j\u00e0, il emploie 35 000 personnes et compte pour 4,5 milliards de dollars ou environ 12 % du PIB de la Nouvelle-\u00c9cosse.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487221\" data-originallang=\"en\">R\u00e9cemment, l\u2019Oceans Frontier Institute a re\u00e7u 94 millions de dollars du gouvernement f\u00e9d\u00e9ral, fournissant un \u00e9lan \u00e0 ce secteur. L\u2019Universit\u00e9 Dalhousie, l\u2019Universit\u00e9 Memorial et l\u2019Universit\u00e9 de l\u2019\u00cele-du-Prince-\u00c9douard en constituent des partenaires cl\u00e9s. Cet investissement aidera \u00e0 acc\u00e9l\u00e9rer la compr\u00e9hension scientifique et la commercialisation de nouveaux produits et services.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487222\" data-originallang=\"en\">\u00c9videmment, l\u2019augmentation du nombre d\u2019entreprises pr\u00eates \u00e0 exporter de la Nouvelle-\u00c9cosse est essentielle. Des possibilit\u00e9s existent dans un vaste spectre, notamment les secteurs traditionnels comme la p\u00eache et le domaine agroalimentaire, o\u00f9 on cible les am\u00e9liorations de productivit\u00e9 et les gammes de produits \u00e0 valeur ajout\u00e9e.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487223\" data-originallang=\"en\">Bien entendu, de nouveaux secteurs comme les technologies propres \u00e9tablissent une pr\u00e9sence internationale et capturent une part de march\u00e9. CarbonCure, qui conclut des ententes avec les chefs de file de l\u2019industrie, en est un exemple. L\u2019entreprise remet en \u00e9tat des usines de production du b\u00e9ton en y int\u00e9grant une technologie qui recycle les d\u00e9chets de dioxyde de carbone afin de cr\u00e9er des produits plus forts, abordables et verts.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487224\" data-originallang=\"en\">La nation Membertou a \u00e9tabli une pr\u00e9sence commerciale importante, Membertou Corporate, qui permet \u00e0 la collectivit\u00e9 de r\u00e9colter d\u2019importants dividendes sociaux et \u00e9conomiques. Ce mois-ci, Membertou tiendra le Nova Scotia Mi\u2019kmaq Energy and Innovation Summit. \u00c0 cette occasion, les entreprises pourront s\u2019adresser directement \u00e0 des repr\u00e9sentants de 13 collectivit\u00e9s micmaques de la province.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487225\" data-originallang=\"en\">Dans le secteur du tourisme, une nouvelle dynamique \u00e9merge et r\u00e9sonne aupr\u00e8s des voyageurs recherchant des exp\u00e9riences culturelles authentiques. Les visiteurs aux palais exigeants peuvent d\u00e9guster des aliments et des vins produits localement et pr\u00e9par\u00e9s par des chefs de grande renomm\u00e9e. Ces mets exquis peuvent \u00e9galement \u00eatre agr\u00e9ment\u00e9s de vins n\u00e9o-\u00e9cossais prim\u00e9s. Ce tourisme culinaire est relativement nouveau, mais s\u2019annonce prometteur. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487226\" data-originallang=\"en\">Par l\u2019entremise du soutien financier direct, de la promotion et de la capacit\u00e9 de tirer profit des connaissances et des ressources, l\u2019APECA fait une diff\u00e9rence.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487227\" data-originallang=\"en\">Par exemple, les contributions r\u00e9centes de l\u2019Agence \u00e0 L\u2019Arche au Cap-Breton et \u00e0 Wolfville renforcent les entreprises socialement inclusives. Avec le soutien de la collectivit\u00e9, les adultes ayant des troubles de d\u00e9veloppement peuvent participer plus pleinement \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e9conomie.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487228\" data-originallang=\"en\">Avec l\u2019introduction de la Strat\u00e9gie de croissance pour l\u2019Atlantique, la r\u00e9gion est maintenant pr\u00eate pour des mesures concert\u00e9es. Ses cinq piliers \u2014 une main-d\u2019oeuvre qualifi\u00e9e et l\u2019immigration, l\u2019innovation, la croissance propre et les changements climatiques, le commerce et l\u2019investissement, ainsi que l\u2019infrastructure \u2014 viendront d\u00e9sormais soutenir les activit\u00e9s et la participation de l\u2019Agence.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487229\" data-originallang=\"en\">De plus, elle continuera de renforcer ses liens \u00e9troits avec les collectivit\u00e9s et les entreprises afin de promouvoir les avantages concurrentiels de la province et de faire une v\u00e9ritable diff\u00e9rence sur le plan du portrait \u00e9conomique.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"4487230\" data-originallang=\"en\">Merci.</p>"
    },
    "url": "/committees/finance/42-1/34/peter-hogan-1/",
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    "politician_membership_url": null,
    "procedural": false,
    "source_id": "9046744",
    "document_url": "/committees/finance/42-1/34/",
    "related": {
        "document_speeches_url": "/speeches/?document=%2Fcommittees%2Ffinance%2F42-1%2F34%2F"
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}