Mr. Speaker, the starting point would be to refer Canadians to the speech I gave because there are significant examples there.
If we want to talk about the strength of co-operatives in Canada, we need only look at the numbers. Co-operatives have more than $252 billion in assets. They are owned by their members and the communities they serve, and the hon. member spoke to that.
The survival rate of co-ops is higher than that of traditional businesses. A 2008 study in Quebec, for example, found that 62% of new co-ops are still operating after five years, compared with 35% for other businesses.
There are more than 90,000 co-ops in Canada. They exist across the country. There are 18 million members across the country, which is evidence that the co-operative community, the co-operative model, is thriving in Canada under this government.