That's one way that government can help.
It's breaking the ice. As Jeff said, it's $10,000 or $15,000 if you're getting your patent only in Canada, but if you're going around the world or if it's a complicated technology, then that's where the costs add up.
There was a study done recently by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. University professors did this on behalf of the U.S. office. They looked at 43,000 start-ups in the United States that had asked for and received a first patent. A few years after those companies got their patents, their sales had increased by 50%. Job creation increased by 36% as a result of getting that first patent. It gave them then the propensity, the resources, to continue innovating.
One thing the first patent does for a small business is give them an asset that they can bring when they go to see investors, venture capitalists. They have something to show that somebody can invest in. It's not just for defending your technology but attracting investment.