The World Economic Forum (WEF) has released its annual competitiveness report showing that Canada is holding firm in 14th place overall among 148 nations. The WEF released its findings ahead of its Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2014 in Tianjin China — an event being attended by Dr Howard Alper, chair of the Science, Technology and Innovation Council. Each nation's competitiveness was assessed using the WEF's 12 Pillars of Competitiveness, defined as the set of institutions, policies, and factors that determine the level of productivity of a country. The report states that Canada continues to benefit from highly efficient markets, well-functioning and transparent institutions and excellent infrastructure. It no