RECOMMENDED READING BY Shirley Won Why Canada lags at innovation We have to stop looking to Silicon Valley as the model for our success, argues innovation expert DAN BREZNITZ CALIFORNIA’S SILICON VALLEY has be- should instead focus on their competitive going to have an improved life, growth come the holy grail of innovation that many advantages and consider other models that and sustainability without innovation. The communities seek to emulate. The model can lead to more local jobs and equita- problem is that people often equate innova- conjures up images of venture capital (VC) ble wealth. Director Journal’s Shirley Won tion with new gadgets, and a specific mod- helping to mint new tech tycoons through asked Breznitz why innovation is misun- el. It’s Silicon Valley or bust. But innovation an eye-popping Nasdaq stock listing or a big derstood, why the Silicon Valley strategy has is not the same as invention, and conflating sale. But Dan Breznitz, chair of innovation problems, and how Canada can overcome its the two is wrong and dangerous. studies at the University of Toronto’s Munk poor innovation record. School of Global Affairs and co-director of Why is there confusion between its Innovation Policy Lab, warns of the fol- What was the motivation for writing innovation and invention? ly of trying to copy this high-tech vision for this book? Invention is coming up with new ideas. economic growth. In his book Innovation in It was out of frustration about the public Innovation is putting new ideas into reali- Real Places: Strategies for Prosperity in an discussion and debate about innovation. ty and across all production stages – from Unforgiving World, he argues that regions It’s an important issue because we are not first-to-the-world product and services, to