I want to focus on something else that was brought up. The other day in the House, as I was debating the budget implementation bill, I mentioned the innovation agenda. Last week we had Startup Canada here, with 150,000 people across the country being represented. I think probably many of us in this room met with them.
In Barrie we have two local persons, Chad Ballantyne and his wife Sandra, who really are the epitome of those micro-entrepreneurs, the ones who are starting to sow the seeds of business. I asked Chad what they were focused on the other day. Part of their agenda proposes that a lot of the investment that's being made in this budget is pouring into a handful of clusters. I made some notes on what he said. He said it's too narrow a focus, and limits the investment opportunity to later-stage enterprises in R and D sectors, ignoring those early-stage start-ups that could in fact become the future manufacturers of the country. He also said there's little funding, if any, for these types of post-R and D communities and companies despite their sector success.
I know our time is limited, but I have a quick question for all three of you. Innovation research centres will not only do for smaller cities and towns...but they also have the aim to grow those local incubators that can drive the type of creativity and job growth that we see. From your standpoint, do you see any opportunity, or should there be another focus, of moving away from that sliver and growing it some more? I'm just wondering if you could comment on that.