@Keith Casey - You bring up some of the same concerns I have and by giving these plugins some sort of special label such as "Canonical" or "Core" or whatever it maybe you are elevating them above the rest of the plugins in the community in the eyes of the average user.

Just because a plugin is canonical doesn't mean it's necessarily going to be the best at what it does. Sure that is the goal, but that doesn't mean it's going to happen. But unfortunately because a plugin has been anointed as canonical... they are going to view it as being the best. Right or wrong.

Thats why I do not think labeling these plugins with some sort of special designation is a good idea. Just give the plugin itself a name and release the damn thing.

My other issue is support. Who is going to support these canonical plugins? Support is a big deal to the average user... and as someone who deals with support for a commercial plugin I shudder at the thought of supporting a plugin that may have an install base as big as a canonical plugin may have.