Rural Secretariat (Canada)

Rural Secretariat (Canada)
Agency name	Rural Secretariat
Formed	1998
Dissolved	2013
Superseding	Office of Rural and Remote Health Policy
Jurisdiction	Canada
Headquarters	Ottawa, Ontario
Minister1 name	Hon. Ralph Goodale
Minister1 pfo	Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Parent agency	Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Rural Secretariat (Canada) was a federal initiative established to coordinate policy, consultation, and program delivery for rural Canada under the aegis of the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food (Canada). Created during the late 1990s, it sought to link federal departments such as Health Canada, Industry Canada, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, and regional development agencies like FedNor and Western Economic Diversification Canada with provincial counterparts including Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec to address rural issues. Its mandate intersected with national strategies such as the Rural Economic Development (RED) strategy and informed programs administered by entities like Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation.

History

The Secretariat was announced in 1998 by the Government of Canada as part of a suite of measures following consultations influenced by reports from the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, submissions to the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, and analyses by the Conference Board of Canada. Early partnerships referenced federal frameworks including the National Framework for Rural Economic Development and initiatives parallel to programs by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. During the 2000s it engaged with provincial rural policies such as Alberta’s Rural Development Strategy and Manitoba’s Rural Initiatives, while responding to events like the BSE crisis that affected rural communities. The Secretariat’s functions were reconfigured following cabinet reshuffles and federal budget decisions leading to its dissolution in 2013 and integration into successor bodies such as the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration-linked programs and other regional development offices.

Mandate and Functions

The Secretariat’s mandate focused on rural policy coordination, stakeholder engagement, and evidence generation to support decision-making by ministers including the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food (Canada), the Minister of Health (Canada), and the Minister of Industry (Canada). It conducted cross-jurisdictional work with agencies such as Canadian Heritage, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Public Safety Canada, and the National Research Council (Canada) to address service delivery, infrastructure, and demographic change in areas like the Atlantic Provinces, Northern Canada, and the Prairies. Functions included convening national roundtables similar to those of the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, commissioning research with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and the Institute for Research on Public Policy, and supporting policy tools aligned with legislation such as the Official Languages Act where bilingual service in rural areas was relevant.

Organizational Structure

The Secretariat operated within Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada with regional liaison offices across regions served by FedDev Ontario, Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and Western Economic Diversification Canada. It reported to federal ministers and coordinated with ministerial advisory bodies like the Rural Development Network and non-governmental partners including the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, the Rural Ontario Institute, and indigenous organizations such as the Assembly of First Nations and the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami. Program delivery involved collaboration with provincial ministries such as Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development, Saskatchewan Ministry of Rural and Remote Health, and municipal associations like the Union of British Columbia Municipalities.

Programs and Initiatives

Key initiatives reflected multi-sectoral priorities: community capacity-building workshops in collaboration with the Canadian Red Cross and the United Way Centraide Canada; rural broadband pilots linked to Industry Canada’s connectivity programs; workforce development linked to Service Canada employment services and the Canada Summer Jobs program; and infrastructure funding aligned with Infrastructure Canada’s bilateral agreements. The Secretariat supported research programs with universities such as the University of Guelph, University of Saskatchewan, Memorial University of Newfoundland, and think tanks like the Centre for Rural Health Research. It also coordinated responses to agricultural shocks alongside Canadian Grain Commission and marketing boards like the Canadian Wheat Board (prior to its dissolution), and contributed to public health preparedness in cooperation with Public Health Agency of Canada.

Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement

Stakeholder engagement was pursued through national summits, regional roundtables, and memoranda of understanding with organizations such as the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Rural Municipalities of Alberta, Union des municipalités du Québec, National Farmers Union, and community groups including FarmLink and local economic development corporations. The Secretariat engaged Indigenous leadership through ties with Métis National Council, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and community organizations in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut to align with reconciliation priorities. International engagement included participation in forums with counterparts like US Department of Agriculture, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and regional networks such as the World Rural Forum.

Impact and Criticism

The Secretariat influenced policy harmonization across federal departments and supported evidence-based rural programming, shaping contributions to initiatives by Statistics Canada and informing regional development strategies used by Provincial-Territorial Ministers Responsible for Rural Affairs. Critics argued it duplicated provincial efforts and questioned accountability similar to debates involving the Auditor General of Canada, while rural advocacy groups such as the National Farmers Union and some academics at the Rural Development Institute contended funding and staffing limits reduced effectiveness. Evaluations referenced by parliamentary committees compared outcomes to models promoted by the Conference Board of Canada and international best practices championed by the Food and Agriculture Organization.

Category:Former Canadian federal departments and agencies Category:Rural development in Canada