Delegates from across Canada visited Ottawa to participate in the 3rd annual delegates meeting December 1 – 2. This gathering was focused on CMC’s government relations and 2017-2020 strategic planning.
Meetings of the Board, Canada’s Emerging Co-operators committee, and the provincial associations and conseils preceded the Delegates Conference. On Wednesday, November 30, CMC representatives visited 31 MPs and Senior Bureaucrats on Parliament Hill to present our public policy proposals and seek support. Some meetings had to be rescheduled due to two votes in the House of Commons. Photos of these meetings are posted to our Facebook page. (Don’t forget to like our page!)
The 2016 Parliamentary Reception was held in Centre Block in the Commonwealth Room immediately following these meetings. For two hours, approximately 50 MPs and 10 Senators visited and socialized with a large contingent of co-operators. The room was at capacity (and overflow). Our host for the evening, Guelph M.P. Lloyd Longfield, delivered some encouraging remarks after being introduced by newly appointed Independent Senator and former President CMC – The Honourable Lucie Moncion. Pictures of this event can also be found on the CMC Facebook page.
The Delegates meeting itself was kicked off with informative presentations that helped set the political economic context we are facing in Canada. The results of the US election and the positioning of Canada’s government entering the second year of its mandate were the focus of the morning session. The meeting included a strategic planning session with feedback from delegates followed by member updates, staff updates and project updates on the education needs assessment and the co-operative performance index. A detailed report on this day will be posted soon.
The final day was separated into three workshops. Corporate Secretaries discussed their practices, a working group tackled Government Relations issues and tactics, and a large contingent of delegates gathered to learn about the Government of Canada’s Innovation Agenda and hear from a panel of innovative co-op practitioners.
The 3rd Annual Delegates event was a varied and fast paced Ottawa experience. The flow of the event will set up CMC very well for the upcoming 2017 Co-operative Congress, which will also be held in Ottawa in the lead up to Canada’s 150th celebrations.