As "necessity is the mother of invention", the range of Canadian inventions is a reflection of the particular circumstance of the nation: it is a large country with a need for innovation to help bridge the distance gap. Fittingly, many Canadian inventions have been in the fields of transportation and communications, while others reflect the country's position as a northern country rich in primary resources and cold weather. Numerous advances have also been achieved in devices related to improving the way these resources are developed (as in agriculture and manufacturing). But like so many inventions, many of Canada's important achievements either built on other works or were improved by others so that precedence is sometimes difficult to pin down (see for example the light bulb). The nation's taxpayers also fund the National Research Council of Canada (NRCC), which has been an important factor in innovation and technological advancement over several decades.
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