OSPE - The Voice - June 2017 - 4

lETTErS TO ThE EDITOr

s a nation, Canada excels at scientific discovery, but much of the engineering
research generated by that scientific discovery that is created here ends up being
exported to other parts of the globe where our ideas and concepts are applied and
then brought by others to the world's market.
Canada now has the lowest research and development, invention and productivity
improvement rates of all the G7 Nations.
My point in writing this piece is that I believe that in order for us to continue to
have engineering excellence, we must have a solid manufacturing base... I believe
that this is one important key to creating engineering innovation that is both relevant
in 2017 and is useful and commercially successful.
It is not that Canadian manufacturers need to be convinced to innovate, but that
Canadian manufactures must continue to EXIST in order to give their engineers
and their trades the opportunity to innovate. Innovative engineering will always take
place within stable and growing manufacturing communities - it is one prerequisite
to their existence. However, over the last 25 years, much of our manufacturing has
disappeared and/or is lost.
What can we do to prevent our manufacturing jobs from leaving? Or maybe more
importantly, how can we encourage the Canadian manufacturing base to stay, and
grow, and flourish?
The flight of our manufacturing capacities to low-cost countries often has a lot to
do with pursuit of ever increasing shareholder returns, but at what 'collateral' cost I
ask? Decisions to create these higher returns by the outsourcing of manufacturing to
a lower-cost country are boardroom decisions. They are designed in order to achieve
higher shareholder return targets and are often at the expense of reducing the size
of our domestic manufacturing base.
I would argue that some European countries, which also have higher manufacturing costs (Germany for one), still have a thriving manufacturing base, and they
also have manufacturing companies which have existed for many years that have
innovated and transformed themselves over time to adapt to new demands. But,
these manufactures have not fled from their homeland to set up shop in lower-cost
countries.
Why and what is different between European countries and Canada? Maybe they
have learned that over the course of history, no country has ever outsourced itself to
greatness. Maybe they have learned that long term sustainability is more important
than short term gain. Maybe they understand that the greatness of a country or
society can only be measured by the environment they pass on for future generations
to succeed. Maybe their society has a history going back over many years, and the
knowledge of this history is more basic to them than to us. In my opinion, this must
be the thinking of a mature culture.
How do we create an environment in this country where manufacturing is encouraged, and sound engineering and skilled trades are respected and are found in a
thriving domestic manufacturing base? If we set our collective minds to do so, we
might help Canada regain its status as a world leader in engineering and manufacturing excellence.
I think that OSPE and its members may have a distinct role in finding ways to
convince all of our governments to assist Canadian manufacturers, and hence to assist
the engineers working in our manufacturing community to flourish.

PublIsher
Sandro Perruzza
edITOr
Carolyn Skinner
COnTrIbuTOrs
Catrina kronﬂi
Stephanie harden
Natasha reid
Patrick Sackville
Carolyn Skinner
lee Weissling
desIGn and PrOduCTIOn
Dovetail Communications
adVerTIsInG InQuIrIes
beth kukkonen
bkukkonen@dvtail.com | 905-707-3506
lynne leblanc
lleblanc@dvtail.com | 905-707-3521
OsPe Is PrOudly sPOnsOred by
PlaTInum:

GOld:

sIlVer:

brOnze:
West Realty Inc., Brokerage
INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED

KARLA SAA & SURRINDER DHALIWAL

suPPOrTInG:

- Bill Goodings, P.Eng., Professional OSPE member

Submit your letters via email to:

info@ospe.on.ca
4

The VOICe

letters@ospe.on.ca
|

www.ospe.on.ca

June 2017

mail to 4950 yonge St.,
Suite 502, Toronto,
Ontario, M2N 6k1

Postage paid: Publications mail 40606018

The ROI is Priceless

MIx
Paper from responsible
sources
www.fsc.org FSC® C103513

http://www.ospe.on.ca http://www.fsc.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of OSPE - The Voice - June 2017