Science and Research Committee on Dec. 3rd, 2025

[Kelly DeRidder, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

According to the global innovation index, we're sixth, not fifth.

[Evan Solomon, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

I'm just—

[Kelly DeRidder, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

You say we've made tremendous strides moving forward. Can you give me some examples of what those strides are and of the tremendous positive impact we've made on our economy since the 2017 launch of your AI strategy?

[Evan Solomon, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

I'm delighted to.

I will point to the recent Deloitte study that was put out with the Vector Institute, which pointed out that the AI sector alone has generated $100 billion to benefit Canada. That's a fantastic piece of innovation.

The digital sector is the fastest—

[Kelly DeRidder, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

That's not what the experts are telling us, though. This money isn't coming into Canada. In fact, the experts are telling us we're losing our innovation.

We have great research here. I have U of W in my region. We have many incubators in my region. Kitchener Centre is Canada's innovation capital, but we do not monetize and commercialize here in Canada.

We're losing our IP. We're losing our data. It's going to the States or abroad. What is your strategy to make sure it stays here in Canada?

[Evan Solomon, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

I also agree with you that we have tremendous research...and your region is one of them, and what's happening—

[Kelly DeRidder, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

What's your strategy, Minister?

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

I request that the minister be given an opportunity to answer the question. It's one person at a time, please.

[Evan Solomon, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

Again, let's not talk down the incredible work that's happened at our AI institutes. Let's—

[Kelly DeRidder, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

I'm not talking down anything. I think we have great research. I'd like to know what your strategy is, please.

[Evan Solomon, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

I'm going to point to stats. The honourable member asked me for statistics.

[Kelly DeRidder, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

No, I asked you for your strategy.

[Evan Solomon, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

Okay. The strategy will continue to invest in AI infrastructure. For example, our AI compute access fund of $300 million gives small and medium-sized businesses—

[Kelly DeRidder, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

What's behind the money? Money is money, but what is your strategy?

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

It's one person at a time, please. I would ask the member to please respect the minister and let him answer the question.

[Kelly DeRidder, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

He's not answering. That's the problem.

Two billion in taxpayer dollars is in this next budget. We understand, yes, there's investment, but what's the strategy behind the investment?

[Evan Solomon, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

If I may, I'm delighted to talk about the strategy. One strategy is to make sure we give compute access to small and medium-sized business that need it to innovate. We were happy that when we opened that fund, it was oversubscribed, with 1,300 companies applying. That's part of it.

Building a supercompute facility is part of it; there is $700 million for that. Investing with our sovereign compute fund in champion companies, as we've done with companies like Cohere, is part of the strategy.

[Kelly DeRidder, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Are there any guardrails to ensure that the data and IP from these investments remain here in Canada and that we have a sovereign approach for these investments.

[Evan Solomon, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

There are always guardrails to make sure that in any—

[Kelly DeRidder, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Can you give me examples?

[Evan Solomon, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

—investment the Canadian government makes, we make sure that it's a Canadian company, or there are guardrails against things like—

[Kelly DeRidder, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Are the data and IP staying here?

[Evan Solomon, Liberal, Toronto Centre, ON]

Yes, and making sure there are no headquarter changes. Those are always factors in determining what we invest in.

Going back to the strategy, one way to see results is the fact that.... An independent study by Deloitte says it's generating $100 billion. There are 800,000 people working—

[Kelly DeRidder, Conservative, Kitchener Centre, ON]

That doesn't have anything to do with the strategy. You're giving me some talking points, so I'm going to switch gears. What I've learned from this is that, effectively, nine years later we are starting over.

There is another problem: We don't have the grid capacity to lead AI globally. You said that we are global leaders in AI capacity, but the experts at this committee have said that we don't have the grid capacity for the supercompute buildings. Who is—

[The Chair, Liberal, Salma Zahid]

The time is up, MP DeRidder and Minister. We will come back in the next round.

We will now proceed to MP Deschênes-Thériault.

Please go ahead for five minutes.