The Co-operatives Secretariat was established within the

Government of Canada The government of Canada (french: gouvernement du Canada) is the body responsible for the federal administration of Canada. A constitutional monarchy, the Crown is the corporation sole, assuming distinct roles: the executive, as the ''Crown-i ...

in 1987 to help the federal government respond more effectively to the concerns and needs of co-operatives. The Secretariat advises the government on policies affecting co-operatives, co-ordinates the implementation of such policies, and encourages use of the co-operative model for the social and economic development of Canada's communities. The Secretariat also provides a link between the co-op sector and the many federal departments and agencies with which they interact. The Co-operatives Secretariat, housed in

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC; sometimes Ag-Canada; french: Agriculture et Agroalimentaire Canada)''Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada'' is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Department of Agriculture ...

is dedicated to economic growth and social development of Canadian society through co-operative enterprise. The mandate of the Cooperatives Secretariat is to: *ensure that the needs of the co-operative sector are taken into account by the federal government, especially in the development of policies and programs. *inform the federal government's key players about the role and the potential of co-operatives in the development of Canadian society and its economy. *foster a beneficial exchange of views among the federal, provincial and territorial governments, co-operatives, academics and other stakeholders engaged in the development of co-operatives. *facilitate interaction between co-operatives and the federal government. *provide governments, key economic stakeholders and the general public with information that promotes an accurate understanding of co-operatives and the co-operative model of enterprise. The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food is responsible for the Cooperatives Secretariat.

External links

* Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Federal departments and agencies of Canada Agriculture in Canada 1987 establishments in Canada Government agencies established in 1987 {{Canada-gov-stub