The very first concerns programs. An analysis needs to be done to ensure that the tax and regulatory environment is fair for social economy enterprises.
The second is the implementation of the Social Innovation and Social Finance Strategy, and the need to respect what has already been done, with a view to complementarity. We really do not wish to redo or reinvent anything.
The third, in order of importance and not going by the order in the brief, is to create framework legislation on social innovation or social finance.
We must create a sufficient pool of data to understand the administration of programs correctly when they are created for social economy enterprises.
One of the difficulties is that we are often told, at CED or elsewhere, that businesses are eligible for these programs. However, when we look at the fine print, we realize that the public servant administering the program does not understand the nuances of the businesses. We then realize that the tax status or the activities of the business mean that they are not always eligible, even if this is not spelled out in program documents.
Public servants must be trained, and a group created, to ensure that throughout all of government, everyone understands what social economy and community organizations are, as well as the whole movement around them.