Canadian co-operators will speak with a single voice

​Delegates from Canada’s two national co-operative associations have voted in favour of creating a single bilingual organisation, bringing together English and French-speaking co-operators. 

The new association, Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada, will be launched in early 2014 and will take over the domestic mandates of both the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) and the Conseil canadien de la coopération et de la mutualité (CCCM). Even though CCA will continue to exist, it will only be responsible for international co-operative development activities.

Bill Dobson, President of CCA, said: “This is not a merger, it is the creation of an entirely new organisation to represent all co-operative enterprises across Canada. This will significantly strengthen the Canadian co-operative movement; it will allow co-operatives, credit unions and mutual to speak with one voice, in both of Canada’s official languages.”

Denis Richard, President of CCCM said he was delighted to see Canadian co-operators united to create a single organisation. “From now on, all co-operators — Anglophone, Francophone and from other cultures — will work together to build on our collective heritage and create a stronger co-operative movement in Canada for the future.”

CCA and CCCM will continue to operate with Denis Richard as President of CCCM and Bill Dobson as President of CCA until the new organisation is launched in early 2014. While the founding board of the new association has been named, the President and Executive Committee have not been chosen yet.

The vote took place during Canada’s annual co-operative congress held in Edmonton on 26-28 June. The 200 co-operators attending the Congress discussed the ICA’s Blueprint for a Co-operative Decade and how it could be implemented in Canada.

The Congress, themed 'Sharing our success; building the future' gathered high-level Canadian politicians as well as co-operators and practitioners. Individuals and co-operatives were also awarded prizes for their outstanding contribution to co-operative development.

Melanie Conn, Director of Common Thread, a Vancouver-based co-operative, received CCA’s Canadian Co-operative Achievement Award, while Bev Maxim, a credit union consultant from Saskatchewan received the Global Co-operative Award.

The CCA also recognised the outstanding contribution of the late Bill Halpenny for his work for the Manitoba credit union movement, inducting him into the Canadian Co-operative Hall of Fame. Mountain Equipment Co-op, Coastal Community Credit Union and UFA Co-operative Limited were also awarded prizes for excellence in co-operative governance.

CCCM gave an 'Order of Merit' award to Léopold Beaulieu, President and CEO of Fondaction and President of CIRIEC; and Claudie Deveau, Leader of the co-operative movement in Cape Breton Island for the past 40 years.

Photo: Delegates at the Congress voting in favour of creating the new bilingual organisation.