Coming off our most successful Congress, CMC is gearing up for exciting new initiatives in support of the co-operative sector! Some of these include Co-op Week, the forthcoming launch of our Member portal and preparing for the 2025 International Year of Co-operatives. Using Member feedback, we\u2019ve created a strategic plan focusing on three key areas: Government Relations, Member Engagement and Education. Not only that, but we have some exciting plans for the 2025 International Year of Co-operatives that will bring the ecosystem together to celebrate Canadian co-operatives and mutuals from coast to coast to coast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking of celebrations, I am happy to announce that Co-op Week 2024 will be held October 13\u201319. This year, we have chosen the theme \u201cInnovating the Co-operative Way\u201d\u2014this theme will help us create the discussions and the space to launch ourselves into the International Year of Co-operatives in 2025. I encourage you to keep your eyes on our events page<\/a> as we finalize the last little details for this week\u2019s activities\u2014I am very excited for you to see what we have planned!<\/p>\n\n\n\n As mentioned, the United Nations declared 2025 the International Year of Co-operatives. The International Cooperative Alliance<\/a> will officially kick things off at its 2024 Global Conference which will be held in New Delhi, India from November 25 to 30. The city will host co-operators from around the world, who will explore the role of co-operatives in creating a collective, peaceful and prosperous future for all. There will be inspirational speakers and provocative panel debates, and delegates will co-create co-operative visions and strategies during multiple breakout sessions. I encourage you to sign up for this exciting conference<\/a> and take part in this momentous occasion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lastly, fall is around the corner and that means Parliament\u2019s House of Commons and Senate are about to reconvene. We have been diligently working on setting ourselves up for another year of advocating for Canadian co-operatives and mutuals. As I previously stated, Government Relations has become a key priority at CMC. That is why this summer, we refreshed our public policy priorities to reflect the current landscape of the sector. These priorities are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Incentives for capitalization and favourable tax measures<\/p>\n\n\n\n Enabling growth, collective entrepreneurship, and innovation<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n