What is the Social Economy Toward a response

What is the Social Economy? Toward a response paying attention to Québécois and Canadian contexts Social Economy Symposium Social Economy Center March 2 -3 2006 OISE/UT By Yves Vaillancourt, UQAM Vaillancourt (UQAM)

A starting point! n n n n 3 years ago, I was delivering a conference here at OISE as part of a Canadian Tour on the Social Economy The title was « The Social Economy in Quebec and the Voluntary Sector in Canada: two separate worlds? » I was encouraging the bridging of both concepts and worlds At that time, the concept of social economy was present in the Quebec Government public discourse, but not present in the Federal government discourse On the federal scene, the Voluntary Sector Initiative (VSI) was a reference point in 2003 Since 2003, some political changes have occurred: 3 changes of governments in Ottawa, one change in Quebec and one change in Ontario What does this mean for the social economy? Vaillancourt (UQAM) 2

My bias on SE n My specialization is in the area of social policy n The research work I have been doing on SE is more connected with the Social Development side (social policy) than with the Economic Development side: n SE in the Management & Delivery of human services (example: Day care services) Vaillancourt (UQAM) 3

Diversity of SE Definitions n n n In 2003, I was in favour of a broad and inclusive definition of the Social Economy making room for market and non-market components of the SE In 2006, I am still in favour of a broad definition Among researchers and practitioners, I am perhaps part now of a minority? Some would like to have a consensus on the definition of the SE and are disappointed with the pluralism of definitions We should not be surprised or scandalized, it is normal Each definition is a construction influenced by theoretical or practical objectives pursued Vaillancourt (UQAM) 4

Mapping without defining the SE? Some people argue they want to be concrete and do not want to loose time with issues of definition! n Some are discovering the links between mapping and defining the SE in different regions of Canada! n Indeed, how to do the mapping of the SE without paying attention to the definition of SE? n Vaillancourt (UQAM) 5

Defining Features of SE Organizations n SE organizations produce goods & services with a clear social mission and have these ideal typefeatures: Services to members and communities & nonprofit orientation n Management is independent of government n Democratic decision-making by workers/users/local communities n People have priority over capital n Participation, empowerment, individual & collective responsibility are emphasized n Vaillancourt (UQAM) 6

SE Areas of Activities n n n n Health & Social Services Labour Market Integration Media and Information Technologies Popular Education Sports and Recreation Tourism Advocacy n n n n Cultural Activities Land Management Environment and Recycling Local and Regional Development Fair Trade Financial Services (credit unions) Housing Vaillancourt (UQAM) 7

Two components of SE broadly defined n Market SE (part of the revenues are coming from selling goods and services) n Non-Market SE Question: when the SE is acknowledge in the public policy of a particular government, what SE component is it? Vaillancourt (UQAM) 8

In Québec: SE under PQ Governments (1994 -2003) n n n The PQ gvt use the concept of SE in its public discourse Formal acceptance of a broad and inclusive definition of the SE at the Socioeconomic Submit of 1996. But narrowing from 1998 thereafter A fragmented public policy to acknowledge and sustain SE initiatives n A policy to acknowledge the cooperatives housed in the Quebec State for many years. But this market component of SE is not seen officially as a SE fragment n A policy to acknowledge the non-market component of SE called «action communautaire autonome » . This fragment and the SACA is not seen as a SE fragment n A policy to acknowledge the new generation of SE initiatives referred to at the 1996 Submit on Economy and Employment Vaillancourt (UQAM) 9

In Québec: SE under Jean Charest (2003 -…) n Social Economy is no longer a key word in the government discourse n Not the end, but the downsizing of the SE public policy of the former PQ government. n Subtle promotion of a quasi-market regulation in the area of Child Care and Home Care (e. g. , Bill no 124 in Day Care) Vaillancourt (UQAM) 10

In Ottawa: SE under Jean Chrétien (1993 -2003) n n SE is not a concept used in the public discourse Contradiction between nice ideas of the « Red Books » and the neoliberal reengineering of public finances in the mid-1990 s which means: n n End of Social Housing funding for new projects (1994) No cost-sharing for provincial day care initiatives 30 % cuts of CHST in 1996 + cuts of UI/EI A public policy focussing on the non-market SE component: The $94 M over 5 year for the Voluntary Sector Initiative (1999 -2004) Vaillancourt (UQAM) 11

In Ottawa: SE under Paul Martin (2003 -2005) n n A key concept in the public discourse of the government (in Throne and Budget speeches etc. ) A public policy focussing on the market SE component ($132 M over 5 year SE Initiative) A public policy neglect of the non-market component of SE: End of the VSI The difficulty of developing an integrated public policy on the SE capable of integrating social policy reforms having interfaces with SE like the Child Care « national program » with $5 Billions over 5 years Vaillancourt (UQAM) 12

In Ottawa: SE under Stephen Harper (2006 -…) n A minority government unable to take initiatives in an autonomous manner. Therefore, the importance: Of the platform of the Conservative Party of Canada n Of the platforms of the other federal political parties (Liberal Party of Canada, NDP, Bloc Québécois) n Vaillancourt (UQAM) 13

Question for Ontario: What is the place of the SE in provincial public policy at Queen’s Park ? Under the Harris Conservative Government? n Under the Mc. Guinty Liberal Government? n Vaillancourt (UQAM) 14

The Social Economy and Child Care in Canada n n n In 2005 Ottawa signed new child care agreements “in principle” with all provinces and territories and “financial agreements” with Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec What are the interfaces between these agreements and social economy initiatives? With the arrival of the Harper government, what will be the impact for these agreements on social economy initiatives? Vaillancourt (UQAM) 15

SE and the Martin Government agreements on Child Care The SE was one element of the Quebec CPE Model (1997 -2005) n The Martin Government referred positively to the Quebec Model in the federal-provincial negotiation over the Child Care Agreements n But the 4 principles included in QUAD (Quality, Universality, Accessibility and Development) do not include formally nonprofit delivery – that is the SE! n Vaillancourt (UQAM) 16

Conclusion: Some Issues n n In the area of public policy with regard to the SE, pay attention not only to the Federal government initiatives, but also to the provincial/territorial and municipal initiatives! Give value to inter-provincial comparative studies on the SE, such as Quebec-Ontario comparatives studies… Importance of Acknowledging SE initiatives in civil society International solidarity links have been created on SE initiatives following the Dakar 2005 meeting Vaillancourt (UQAM) 17

Key References n n www. Larepps. uqam. ca. Chantier de l’économie sociale (1996). Osons solidarité la. A. Evers & J. -L. Laville (Eds) (2004). The Third sector in Europe, Cheltenham, UK, Edward Elgar. L. Favreau (2005). Lesregroupements nationaux d’économie sociale Essai au Québec: d’analyse politique , CRDC, UQO, Gatineau, recherche no 36, 37 p. Ce texte a aussi été publié comme Cahiers du LAREPPS, no 05 -15. n HORIZONS (2006). . 8, no 2, Feb. 2006. Special issue on the SE. Vol n B. Lévesque et M. Mendell (2004). L’économie sociale : diversité des approches et des pratiques, Proposition pour le nouveau programme des ARUC en économie sociale, document de travail pour la présidence du CRSH, Montréal, 2 juillet, 37 p. Y. Vaillancourt et L. Thériault (forthcoming). « Économie sociale, poliques sociales et fédéralisme au Canada » , in Alain-G. Gagnon (Ed), Le fédéralisme canadien 21 e siècle au , Montréal, PUM, 2006. Y. Vaillancourt (forthcoming). « Le tiers secteur au Canada, un lieu de rencontre entre la tradition américaine et la tradition européenne » , Canadian Review of Social Policy , 2006. n n Vaillancourt (UQAM) 18

Appendix 1 The Four Sectors in the Delivery of Human Services Social Economy Public CBO / NGO / NPO Government Departments & Agencies Sector Public Institutions Cooperatives Self-help groups Volunteer (only) groups Selfemployed Private Agencies Self-employed workers Private (Back Market) Family Friends Neighbors Sector Adapted from Vaillancourt & Jetté (1999) Vaillancourt (UQAM) Informal Sector 19

Appendix 2 Questions for the Analysis of a Service Produced by the Social Economy How is the funded? (Who is funding it? ) n How is it regulated? (Who is setting and monitoring the standards? ) n How is it delivered? (Who is responsible for the delivery? ) n Answers to these questions can produce a number of different permutations! n Vaillancourt (UQAM) 20