Human Resources committee  No, I don't think anyone has done adequate analysis. As I think Mr. Vermette has indicated, we lack the information because of some of the definition issues. As well, how do we include universities, how do we include municipalities, which are normally put into that pot? I think

Human Resources committee  I can begin by looking at a philanthropy group that is often now referred to as social venture philanthropists. What's happening with a lot of individuals is they're looking for not just the option of do I give to charity and get a tax return for that charitable gift, or on the o

Human Resources committee  You're absolutely correct. It's—

Human Resources committee  I think that the—

Human Resources committee  Mr. Butt, I think you've hit on a very important topic and it's part of why our fifth recommendation is really about the potential role of government to facilitate and to lead this cross-sector discussion. If I invite corporations to a table, I might get a response. If the govern

Human Resources committee  I think there are three or four very critical items that Mr. Vermette has mentioned, including the unbundling of contracts and the social clauses. One of the things that's fascinating in our international work is that we realize that adding a social clause does not inhibit in a

Human Resources committee  I think we can go back, and you're absolutely correct, we can look at some of the enterprises that have attempted to launch that have tried, especially when they do not balance well the business side with the social side, and they get so engaged in trying to deliver a social prog

Human Resources committee  We are starting to see some program R and D more at the college or university level. The University of Fredericton has an MBA program, with a specialty in social enterprise. The University of Manitoba, the University of Winnipeg, and the University of Toronto have incorporated so

Human Resources committee  I would agree with François—

Human Resources committee  —in that, for me, the biggest opportunity we hold is to adjust government procurement.

Human Resources committee  I think I can give you an example of where there's great potential. The federal government just signed a single contract to have all of your building maintenance and cleaning done by one company across the entire country. This is a large international corporation and they are goi

Human Resources committee  I don't think we have seen a limit to the role that social enterprise can play in supporting community needs. Being in Vancouver, we have a very, very strong social enterprise sector that is serving the very tough employment needs in the downtown eastside, one of Canada's poorest

Human Resources committee  Thank you very much, honourable Chair and members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to address you on this timely and important issue of social finance and social enterprise. In this room we all agree that we face a common challenge that was stated in the federal