CAP Background In May 2000, the Council of Atlantic Premiers (CAP) was formalized by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in which all four premiers expressed their common desire to cooperate for the benefit of the residents of Atlantic Canada. The work of the Council of Atlantic Premiers builds on the ongoing work of the Council of Maritime Premiers (CMP) and the Conference of Atlantic Premiers. When the premiers established the Council of Atlantic Premiers they committed to work together on behalf of Atlantic Canadians to: strengthen the economic competitiveness of the region; improve the quality of public services to Atlantic Canadians; and/or improve the cost-effectiveness of delivering public services to Atlantic Canadians. The mandate of the Council is also to promote Atlantic Canadian interests on national issues. To accomplish this, the Council seeks to establish common views and positions to ensure that Atlantic Canadians and their interests are well represented in national debates. With the signing of the May 2000 Memorandum of Understanding, the Council of Atlantic Premiers launched a process to develop an Atlantic Canada action plan. The plan, Working Together for Atlantic Canada: An Action Plan for Regional Co-operation, sets out the cooperation initiatives that will be pursued by the four Atlantic provinces over the next two years. In June 2005, the Council of  Atlantic Premiers launched Building on Progress: Atlantic Action Plan 2005-08 which outlines the Atlantic governments' commitment to strengthen productivity and competitiveness within the region