From the Canada desk:
Thes other day, I wrote a post at The Reaction (and a shorter version here at TMV) that suggested that Canada is falling behind its G8 partners and others in terms of investment in R&D — as measured by GERD/GDP (Gross Expenditures on Research and Development as a fraction of GDP). I based my argument on a post by Paul Wells, a leading Canadian journalist who writes for Macleans (our Time or Newsweek), at his wonderful blog Inkless Wells.
Well, one of my readers commented that my (and hence Wells’s) analysis was “misleading” and “dishonest”. So I wrote a follow-up post that addresses the meaning of GERD in greater detail. It may seem like a technical point of interest only to economists and policy wonks, but a country’s investment in R&D is indeed a serious issue that, in my view, deserves greater attention. It is, after all, a reflection of a country’s investment in, and commitment to, the future — and hence to future generations. (I also provide a list of major countries ranked by GERD/GDP. Guess who’s first — it’ll surprise you.)
I should add, too, that Paul Wells himself took the time to come to The Reaction and to reply directly to this second post. If this is an issue that interests you, I encourage you to read his comments. It was sort of like that Marshall McLuhan scene in Annie Hall. Thankfully, he’s on my side!