Speaking Points

The Honourable Tony Clement, PC, MP
Minister of Industry

Announcement of NRC-IRAP Financial Contribution and Presentation of Canadian Innovation Leader Certificates to Five Newfoundland-Based Companies

St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador
August 11, 2009

Check Against Delivery

Thank you for the warm introduction, Dr. Coulombe.

Special thanks as well to National Research Council Canada (NRC) for hosting us today as we make this important announcement and presentation, and to my colleague, Senator Fabian Manning, for joining me.

I am very pleased to be here today, in beautiful St. John’s, to bring good news about the Government of Canada’s support for innovation in communities across Canada.

The strengths of this region are well known and best exemplified by your spirit of innovation and entrepreneurial drive — a spirit that is alive and well and flourishing despite these difficult economic times. The five Newfoundland and Labrador companies we are recognizing today are prime examples. Let me tell you a little bit about them.

• Founded in 2002, NavSim Technology was spun off NRC’s Institute for Ocean Technology. It is an innovative software and hardware research and development firm focused on electronic navigation solutions for both land and marine applications.
• Camouflage Software specializes in data privacy and data-masking computer software. Data masking is the process of de-identifying information in a database, meaning that unauthorized users cannot access sensitive information.
• Avalon Microelectronics is a developer of high-speed telecommunications intellectual property (IP) that is used in telecommunications transport systems. It also has two full-time patent writers on staff to grant patents.
• Blue Line Innovations specializes in developing and providing real-time energy feedback products that help meet the conservation and demand management needs of electric utilities, government and consumers.
• And last but not least, Verafin was founded in 2003 by a team of computer engineers with backgrounds in artificial intelligence and pattern recognition. Its software solutions help the financial services industry identify fraud and other suspicious activity on its computer networks.

These companies are great examples of the drive, talent and creativity our government is encouraging in the private sector. We support the innovation and commercialization of ideas, because this is the process that creates jobs. It improves the quality of life of Canadians. And it strengthens our economy for future generations.

Two years ago, the Prime Minister launched Canada’s Science and Technology (S&T) Strategy to set the course for Canada’s scientific endeavours. Our objectives have been supported by our financial commitment. By 2011, our government will have invested more than $7 billion in new investments to help stimulate economic activity through S&T investments.

Canada’s Economic Action Plan sets out our plan to spend $5.1 billion on S&T-related stimulus efforts — a historic level of new funding commitments in a federal budget. Included in this plan are new resources totalling $200 million over two years for NRC’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC–IRAP). It is through NRC–IRAP that we are able to support the innovative initiatives of Canadian firms such as NavSim Technology, Camouflage Software, Avalon Microelectronics, Blue Line Innovations and Verafin.

So it is with great pleasure today that I am announcing that the Government of Canada is making a financial contribution of more than $1.2 million to these five companies based in Newfoundland and Labrador through NRC–IRAP.

The breakdown is as follows:

• $491 008 to NavSim Technology to support the development of next-generation electronic navigation solutions for land and marine applications
• $460 000 to Camouflage Software to assist the company in developing data-masking computer software solutions that enhance computer security
• $211 751 to Avalon Microelectronics to facilitate the research and development of two cores — forward error correction and IP — that will greatly impact current long-haul optical communications
• $47 880 to Blue Line Innovations to support the company in assessing meter types in other countries and developing a plan for potential solutions for an international version of the sensor
• and $30 000 to Verafin to assist the firm in recruiting a software developer to help in the integration of the firm’s anti-money-laundering and fraud-detection software for bank customers

My sincere congratulations to all of you! These are all very worthy projects.

I am also here today to present each of these companies with a Canadian Innovation Leader certificate. This certificate recognizes small and medium-sized enterprises that have successfully developed and applied innovative technologies linking scientific research to commercialization, jobs and economic growth. It emphasizes their position as role models for the whole country and for entrepreneurs in communities in all regions.

Once again, congratulations! Your companies are an example of the best Canada has to offer!

The Government of Canada will continue building a competitive advantage for Canada through research and innovation in S&T, which plays a great part in ensuring that we gain a competitive edge. This will lead to greater investment, more high-skilled jobs and a higher quality of life for all Canadians.

Our government is doing just that through measures announced in Canada’s Economic Action Plan. And you are doing it right here in Newfoundland and Labrador through research and development that could benefit Canadian industry for years to come.

My sincere congratulations to these companies and to everyone who has contributed to their success. I look forward to more good news from Newfoundland and Labrador to bring me back to celebrate more milestones with you in the not-too-distant future.

I would now like to ask the representatives from each company to come and receive their Canadian Industry Leader certificates.

1. Dr. Piotr Waclawek, President and CEO of NavSim Technology Inc.
2. Mr. Kevin Fleming, President of Camouflage Software Inc.
3. Mr. Wally Haas, Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Avalon Microelectronics Inc.
4. Mr. Maurice Tuff, Co-Founder, Director and Technical Advisor of Blue Line Innovations Inc.
5. Mr. Jamie King, President of Verafin, Inc.

Thank you.