Paradigm

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McKinsey Global Institute report some type of cross-border activity. 25
Toronto-based RIWI Corp. is a good example. This survey company,
which had 15 staff in early 2016 and is growing rapidly, provides survey
data from countries around the world to international organizations and
Fortune 500 companies. It does very little business in Canada, which is
a new phenomenon. In the past, companies typically built up a domestic
following before going global. Not only is it possible to go global from
the start, but some companies must go global to make it. For example,
margins on digital products are relatively low, so companies making apps
need access beyond the Canadian market to be able to survive.
As a result, the next generation of Canadian entrepreneurs will have
easier access to global markets, but concurrently face more intense
competition. Larger, more established Canadian companies may
face competition without much warning from competitors in both the
developed and emerging world.
All companies, large and small, will have access to an unprecedented
stream of new ideas, data, and technologies. Canada generates its
own ideas and innovations, but more often relies on imported ideas
and technologies. 26 Taking full advantage of these new ideas, data,
and technologies will be central to positioning Canada for the next
era in global trade. Issues now include protecting digital identities and
reputations, safeguarding private information, and protecting intellectual
property (IP). As the economy becomes more virtual- and knowledgebased,
IP will become increasingly important and determine where the
greater value is in global value chains.
25 Ibid.
26 Curtis, What’s Not in the TPP.
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