The White Paper
The White Paper on Co-operative Development is a unique partnership between the Ontario co-operative movement and elected members from each provincial political party (not just the governing party). With input from all areas of Ontario's diverse co-op sector, and stakeholders and partners, the White Paper initiative is an ambitious, future-oriented action plan that will ensure co-operative enterprises are better equipped to deal with their current issues and challenges.
White Paper - a definition:
- A government report
- A report on a topic given by an individual or group with authority on the topic, typically to explain the results of a development effort
- An authoritative report on a major issue, as by a team of journalists
- American Heritage Dictionary
WHITE PAPER RECOMMENDATION
THE WHITE PAPER CONTAINS ONE KEY RECOMMENDATION FOR GOVERNMENT ACTION:
The Ontario co-operative sector urges the Ontario Government to create a Provincial Co-operatives Secretariat, modelled after the Federal Co-operatives Secretariat, to promote and develop Ontario co-operatives, and act as a single voice for the sector.
Complementing this Government action, the White Paper also identified areas where the co-op sector and the Government could work together in joint collaboration; and it also identified areas where the co-op sector itself needed to act.
JOINT COLLABORATION: Working jointly with the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO), the co-op sector wishes to pursue further improvements to the Ontario Co-operative Corporations Act, explore opportunities to attract investment and facilitate research on co-operative development in Ontario.
CO-OP SECTOR ACTION: As self-help organizations,
co-operatives will strengthen their own collective and financial commitments to sowing the seeds of their own greater success. This includes fostering greater collaboration among co-operatives, supporting new and emerging co-ops and developing stronger public education programs.
JANUARY 2006 UPDATE
An Executive Summary of the White Paper has been presented to all MPPs in Ontario. All attendees to the November 2005 MPP reception received the complete 28-page White Paper as well as the 2-page Executive Summary. On Co-op's Government Relations Task Force is currently finalizing plans for the 2006 government information and contact sessions.
English and French versions of the complete White Paper document and an executive summary are available through the FastLinks at right.
THE QUEBEC DEVELOPMENT POLICY DOCUMENT
The province of Quebec, in consultation with the Quebec co-op sector and its stakeholders, has created The Co-operative Development Policy document.
With the courses of action it suggests and the measures it puts forward, the development policy will help the Quebec co-operative movement use all available resources to take its place in the economy of tomorrow and remain an example to all Quebecers.
By having new support measures, co-operatives are now better equipped to take advantage of business opportunities as they arise, diversify their activities into new sectors, and contribute even more actively to the social and economic development of Quebec and its regions.