Canada gets a D in innovation, according to a report card issued yesterday, ranking the country 14th among 17 industrialized nations for its ability to turn knowledge into money-making products and services. In a report from the Conference Board of Canada, this country ranked ahead only of Australia, Italy and Norway for innovation. Switzerland, Ireland and the United States topped the list. Of the 12 indicators used to compile the rankings, Canada was given a D in nine categories, two Cs and one B. Its highest grade was given for the number of scientific articles published relative to the population. Canada was eighth in that category. Canada was ranked particularly poorly in the area of international trademarks per capita, finishing ahead only of Japan. As well, it was dead last in the technology-exchange category, which measures "the flow of technological know-how and technological services into and out of a country as a share of GDP."

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Document number: news·20100203·NP·0098