Business Ventures Often Dependent on Government Policies

Canada is today an international leader in the fields of communications and remote sensing satellites and much of this is because of John Chapman (1921-1979) who was senior author of a report entitled "Upper Atmosphere and Space Programs in Canada."

The document, now known as the Chapman Report recommended using Canadian satellites for communications and resource management.

It thus became "Canada's Original Blueprint" for space exploration and formed the basis for the building of a Canadian industry focused around communications and resource management.

New opportunities are available for the savvy entrepreneur today but the last formal document outlining Canadian space policy was written in 2003.

Titled "The Canadian Space Strategy", it was intended to replace the Canadian Second Long-Term Space Plan (LTSP II) of 1994 (which had last been updated as part of the Performance Report for the Period ending March 31st, 1998).

The core thrust of the 2003 report was a call for the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to continue to focus on Earth observation, space science, exploration and satellite communication plus place a renewed emphasis on raising awareness of space activities among the general public.

However, the initiatives contained within the 2003 report were quickly overwhelmed by a series of events including the appointment of a string of three short-term and interim CSA presidents between 2005 and 2008 and the aborted sale of portions of space contractor MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) to American-owned Alliant Techsystems (ATK) in April 2008 which highlighted national security issues and economic infrastructure components lacking in the 2003 report.

A new consensus is slowly developing among space focused stakeholders as to the initiatives that should be included in the next eagerly awaited document outlining Canadian space policy.

The Canadian Space Commerce Association Special Report on the Politics of Business at our March 19th Conference and Annual General Meeting will discuss this growing consensus, highlight potential new opportunities for entrepreneurs and analyze comparative methodologies for insuring business voices are heard as this new policy document is developed.

Please join us at the 2009 Canadian Space Commerce Association Annual General Meeting for this discussion on the Politics of Business:

Canadian NewSpace: Domestic and International Opportunities for 2009 and Beyond.

The Canadian Space Commerce Association is a collaboration of Canadian entrepreneurs interested in the commercial opportunities available in the development of space and opening the space frontier.

We exist to advance a favorable economic, legal and political environment for Canadian entrepreneurs in this field, and to promote positive public recognition of the socioeconomic benefits to all Canadians from investing in this development.

Current areas of interest to the space business community in Canada include:

• Access to investment capital, and the realization of commercial opportunities in space development by the Canadian financial sector.
• The regulatory environment and legislation affecting the Canadian space industry
• Test range and launch site access.
• Professional education and assistance with business planning and implementation
• Canadian Space Agency priorities, funding and direction.
• Government tax relief, grants, loans and other economic incentives.
• Building international interest to Canadian commercial space activities.

For more information on the Canadian Space Commerce Association please check out our website at http://spacecommerce.ca.