Why is Canada so poor at inventing things?

[Rootkitt]

the www was a invention of several people, including a belgian it was a work that done by several individuals.

Scientific discoveries as pointed out earlier is rather dumb to accredit to a single nation considering how many people from different nationalities work on it, it's great to inspire children but that's where this nationalism should stop.

No, Robert Cailliau (the Belgian you are referring to), did not have a part in its invention, he had a part in its development. Cailliau also had a part in writing the proposal for funding, but he did not invent it. Inventing has to do with creating the idea / concept, and development/refinement of the invention is completely separate. Berners-Lee had proposed the idea to CERN before Cailliau was on-board.

[Axphism]

Like 800,000 people born in Canada live in the US, most with STEM degrees. If you're a tech entrepreneur are you going to stay in Canada or go to Silicon Valley? Most go to Silicon Valley, or Austin or the other tech hot spots in the US.

The free health care isn't a draw for these people as these jobs have very good health insurance.

Also, it's warmer.

How are you going to list all those pros and just one con?

[Deleted]

Don't forget that Canadians invented basketball and American football. That's right! Canada invented Americans favorite sport. You're welcome America!

I think you'll find American football derived directly from soccer / rugby.

More British inventions !!

[Axphism]

I think you'll find American football derived directly from soccer / rugby.

More British inventions !!

I don't know if Alcomo's statement is true, but if it is you can't just make shit up by saying "I think you'll find..."

[Alcomo]

I don't know if Alcomo's statement is true, but if it is you can't just make shit up by saying "I think you'll find..."

May 14 1874 Mcgill university played a rugby game against Harvard. They both used their own sets of rules. Mcgill introduced carrying the ball, downs and tackling. Harvard liked the new rules Mcgill introduced and continue to use them in their next game against Yale. Princeton then also started using the same rules. In 1876 a new rulebook was written for a new sport using these rules which has come to be known as American football.

Not surprisingly the biased American history skips the first game between Mcgill and Harvard and claims football derived from the game after this one between Yale and Harvard where Harvard introduced the rules learned from Mcgill.

[Axphism]

May 14 1874 Mcgill university played a rugby game against Harvard. They both used their own sets of rules. Mcgill introduced carrying the ball, downs and tackling. Harvard liked the new rules Mcgill introduced and continue to use them in their next game against Yale. Princeton then also started using the same rules. In 1876 a new rulebook was written for a new sport using these rules which has come to be known as American football.

Not surprisingly the biased American history skips the first game between Mcgill and Harvard and claims football derived from the game after this one between Yale and Harvard where Harvard introduced the rules learned from Mcgill.

Yeah I just read this here: http://www.rcinet.ca/en/2014/05/14/h...l-may-14-1874/

[Rennadrel]

Cause ya know, it's not like one of the most important inventions of all time wasn't made in Canada, ya know that little thing called the telephone.

[Melusine]

Question: Why does Canada need to invent anything when the US is just below them? Care to compare the UK to the US? I didn't think so....

[Alcomo]

Question: Why does Canada need to invent anything when the US is just below them? Care to compare the UK to the US? I didn't think so....

That.... doesn't make any sense. What does the USA have to do with this? Also if it wasn't for us inventing insulin, half the USA would be dead right now. You guys should be thanking us for allowing you to live such obese lives.

[Santti]

I don't understand how you came to the conclusion that it's socialism why Canada is less innovative than Brits.

http://www.iam-media.com/blog/detail...0-7ca8f4e884ea
http://www.patents4software.com/2013...ts-per-capita/

Some of the most socialist countries in the world at top.

[minteK917]

OP, mabye if you read your invention list youd already know the answer. The oldest Canadian invention on this list from 1893 just glancing over it. The UK inventions date back to the 17th century on the list lol. Also Canada is clearly above you in patent per capita. If anything for how old the UK is, they are doing very poorly innovating.

[Heladys]

Canada is far more innovative than the brits. Just look at our relative differences in cuisine and dentistry.

[Gheld]

That.... doesn't make any sense. What does the USA have to do with this? Also if it wasn't for us inventing insulin, half the USA would be dead right now. You guys should be thanking us for allowing you to live such obese lives.

Actually I'm going to have to go to devil's advocate mode here...

Insulin only helps type 1 juvenile diabetes. The diabetes you're thinking of is Type 2 adult onset diabetes. The kind Wilfred Brimley has. It's not treated with insulin because basically it involves your cells becoming resistant to the natural insulin your body produces, which makes it unable to deal with dietary glucose properly.

[dd614]

Canada is basically the participation or bronze medal country. They're very good in a lot of things but not great in any. Stuck somewhere between the European and American mindsets.

[Anonymous1038853]

Why is this?

Well, there's the fact that Canada was founded in the late 1800's. Kind of hard to have a list of 17th century innovations attributed to a sovereign nation that didn't really exist yet. There's also the fact that the UK population is double that of Canada. Which means that if inventors are a subsection of the general population, Canada will necessarily have fewer people with the acuity to produce new innovations (and by consequence, fewer innovations will be produced). Then there's the feedback loop that Skroe outlined. Central hubs tend to concentrate this sort of thing.

Is it because Britain encourages a free market that is excellent at creating competition and innovation, whilst socialism stifles it?

This almost certainly isn't the reason, though. Socialism has not been shown to stifle innovation. Neither does the free market encourage it. The free market often likes to impede new innovations that will make existing infrastructures obsolete (Because money). Then there's the myriad of innovations that come from the public sector, such as universities or government research. It is simply not apt to say that the free market is necessarily good for innovation, while socialism is necessary bad for it. That's just a shallow narrative that some people like to spin. The reality is that both systems have respective benefits and negatives.

[Deleted]

Put it this way britain has invented alot more than america has over the years since england is older than america aswell

[Jotaux]

Actually, looking at your two sources in recent times (from the 20th century) they're pretty even but also one link is for innovations and discoveries and one is for inventions, which means they aren't tracking the same stuff. Even with that disadvantage Canada is pretty close to the UK (in recent times) based on your sources so your premise is flawed which means I won't address the terrible explanation you have for it.

So what you are saying is the op is comparing apples to oranges and then coming up with a completely unrelated conclusion.

[Endus]

Locking this, since it's just an attempt to nation-bash.