Christy Clark was in Burnaby Friday morning lauding her government’s trade initiatives during a tour of D-Wave Systems, an international leader in quantum computing.
“The future of our tech sector, just like other industries, depends on our ability to compete around the world,” Clark told D-Wave employees.
Flanked by Burnaby Liberal candidates Karen Wang, Richard Lee and Garrison Duke, Clark praised D-Wave for its contribution to the province’s tech industry with its advancements in quantum computing.
“D-Wave is an incredible example, just one of many, of what we can achieve in British Columbia when we have a strong plan and the attention and patience to stick with it,” Clark said.
Founded in 1999, D-Wave Systems introduced the world’s first commercially available quantum computer system in 2011 – D-Wave One, priced at US $10,000,000. Its current customers include Google, NASA, Lockheed Martin, Los Alamos National Laboratory and Temporal Defense Systems. Many others access D-Wave machines through the cloud.
The Burnaby company is among more than 10,200 companies that make up what Clark called the “new Silicon Valley” during her visit on Friday.
But there’s a new threat on the horizon, Clark said.
The “rising tide of protectionism” led by President Donald Trump south of border has already attacked B.C’s softwood lumber industry and could one day take aim at its tech sector, she warned.
“So the question in this election is, who is best to lead the fight to protect and preserve jobs for British Columbians? Today’s B.C. Liberals are the only party with a plan for a bigger economy, not a bigger government; for lower taxes, not spending sprees; for investments in the services you need, rather than sending more interest payments to U.S. banks,” she said.
“Our plan builds on our economic strength making sure that every family, every community and region shares in the benefits.”
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