“The research is clearly significant in its field and reflects a unique way of conceptualizing the importance of communication strategies in the Social Economy.” — Jorge Sousa, ANSER Awards Committee Chair

Congratulations, Mitch!

Print PDF

There is nothing more evocative than the first-person voice in the telling of history’s stories. Harold Chapman’s memoirs about the progressive legacy of co-operatives in Saskatchewan lend the subject an air of authority. His accounts of the people who dedicated their lives to the development of co-operatives in the province makes this history personal, helping the reader to feel connected to the principles and practice of co-operation. The biggest lesson Chapman teaches us is the importance of education in achieving and maintaining co- operatives. This is especially true for agricultural co-operatives, as farmers have to learn to surrender at least some of their individualism in order to reap the rewards of economic enterprise through co-operation.

Print PDF

Find details about the bursary and download the application form here.

Print PDF

Centre for the Study of Co-operatives Seminar Series 2011/12
Celebrating the International Year of Co-operatives

Forestry Co-operatives:
A Community-Based Approach to an Emerging Bio-Economy

Hayley Hesseln

Department of Bioresource Policy, Business and Economics
College of Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan

Room 1E80
Agriculture Building
University of Saskatchewan
Thursday, 26 April 2012
3:00 – 4:30 PM

The future success of the forest sector is based on the emergence of a new bio-economy as opposed to business-as-usual in the traditional forest economy. The bio-economy is predicted to increase demand for forest fibre to produce goods ranging from chemicals to energy to combustible materials. As the forest industry recovers from the current downturn, opportunities will increase for smaller operators to colla­borate with non-forest businesses, communities, governments, and other stakeholders to meet the rising demand for energy and other products in the bio-economy. This will place forest operators in a strong position to explore the use of co-operative structures as a means to meet community and business needs, and to reorganize accordingly.

Print PDF

Below are the videos for the first two seminars for those who might have missed the events. Enjoy and please share with anyone who might be interested.

“The Boomerang Effect: How Quebec’s School Co-ops Are Training the Next Generation of Co-operators” / Jean-Emmanuel Bouchard / January 25, 2012

“Making the Invisible Count: Gender Equity in a Fair Trade Coffee Co-operative in Nicaragua” / Jannie Wing-Sea Leung / February 16, 2012 (Fredeen Seminar)

“Co-operative Solutions: How the Fair Trade and Organic Coffee Markets Support Forested Ecosystems on Nicaraguan Coffee Farms” / Michael Zelmer / Thursday, March 22, 2012

Print PDF

Centre for the Study of Co-operatives Seminar Series 2011/12
Celebrating the International Year of Co-operatives

Co-operative Solutions:
How the Fair Trade and Organic Coffee Markets Support Forested Ecosystems on Nicaraguan Coffee Farms

Michael Zelmer

Communications Director, Fair Trade Canada

Prairie Room
Diefenbaker Building
University of Saskatchewan
Thursday, 22 March 2012
3:00 – 4:30 PM

Widespread deforestation throughout Latin America has accentuated the importance of forested coffee farms as bastions of biodiversity. However, a trend towards producing coffee within highly productive, chemically intensive monocultures has increasingly left important ecosystems within the hands of small-scale farmers, who are unable to capture much of the value of their coffee because of power asymmetry within their trading relationships. Notable exceptions are farmers who belong to co-operatives, which enable farmers to enhance their power and access the high-value Fair Trade and organic markets.

This presentation examines how the production of coffee for the organic and Fair Trade markets affects forested ecosystems on small-scale farms in Nicaragua. It emphasizes how the co-operative model assists farmers to meet standards, exchange information, make decisions, access global markets, and cultivate a product with more resilient social and environmental benefits. While the farmers are required to meet certification standards, it is the co-operatives and their allies that develop the capacity for them to do so. Moreover, co-operative membership enables farmers to access resources that are embedded within otherwise unreachable networks, which are significant to both their livelihoods and the forested ecosystems they manage.

The seminar is sponsored by the following organizations:

• Canadian Co-operative Association
• Centre for the Study of Co-operatives
• Engineers without Borders
• Fairtrade Canada
• North Sask Fair Trade Network
• Oxfam Canada
• The Refinery Arts and Spirit Centre
• Saskatchewan Council for International Co-operation.

Michael is also speaking at the Saskatoon Co-operative Network Luncheon on Wednesday, 21 March, 12 noon, in Federated Co-operatives Ltd. Boardroom, 401 – 22nd Street East (Fee TBA / RSVP sca@sask.coop), and at 7:00pm that evening at The Refinery, 609 Dufferin Avenue.

Print PDF

Centre for the Study of Co-operatives Seminar Series 2011/12
Celebrating the International Year of Co-operatives

The 2012 F.J.H Fredeen Memorial Scholarship Seminar

Making the Invisible Count
Gender Equity in a Fair Trade Coffee Co-operative in Nicaragua

Jannie Wing-Sea Leung

MSc, Department of Community Health and Epidemiology
University of Saskatchewan

Canada Room
Diefenbaker Building
University of Saskatchewan
Thursday, 16 January 2012
3:00 – 4:30 PM

Please join us for Free Trade refreshments after the presentation.

In the global coffee industry, small-scale farmers provide the bulk of the co-operative labour yet receive the smallest portion of the profits. Fair Trade co-operatives aim to support and strengthen farmer communities, valuing their labour and products more fairly while promoting democratic and equitable societies. Although evidence shows that Fair Trade co-ops are improving the livelihoods of small-scale farmers, women have been largely absent from the discussions. This seminar examines gender equity in PROCOCER, a Fair Trade coffee co-operative in Nicaragua. Interviews with women producers, co-op leaders, and gender specialists suggest that the co-op has a role in promoting gender equity not only at the organizational level, but in the member familes as well. The study resulted in the development of a series of indicators — evaluation tools that support PROCOCER’s endeavours to consistently plan, implement, and sustain actions to improve gender equity. The participatory process of developing these indicators also highlighted the need for continued efforts to develop a critical awareness and organization response to gender inequities in the co-operative, particularly in providing spaces for women to define their own evaluation tools.

Print PDF

The Boomerang Effect
How Quebec’s School Co-ops Are Training the Next Generation of Co-operators

Jean-Emmanuel Bouchard

President, Fédération québécoise des coopératives en milieu scolaire

Prairie Room
Diefenbaker Building
University of Saskatchewan
Wednesday, 25 January 2012
4:00 – 5:30 PM

The sixty members that make up the Quebec federation of student co-operatives serve more than three hundred thousand people and have a cumulative turnover of $120 million annually. These co-ops belong to the students and staff of Quebec’s educational institutions and offer services such as bookstores, school supplies, computer equipment, and food services. After overcoming many challenges, the co-operatives have been growing steadily since the 1980s. They have a special place in Quebec’s co-op movement, providing valuable services and a training ground for the next generation of co-operators. Reinvesting their profits in their communities, they offer both economic and social benefits for Quebec’s educational institutions and the province as a whole.

About the Presenter
Jean-Emmanuel Bouchard is studying political science at the University of Quebec in Montreal and is a board member of the university co-op, with which he has been involved for four years. He has been president of la Fédération québécoise des coopératives en milieu scolaire (COOPSCO) since June 2011 and also serves on the board of directors of Groupe Fides, a publishing subsidiary of COOPSCO. He sits on numerous co-operative committees in Quebec and has also participated in a variety of projects, including one in Peru that earned him a prize in co-operative involvement in May 2010.

Print PDF

Please click on any of the photos to see them in a larger format.

Melfort is the first community outside Saskatoon to host the Building Communities Exhibit, which highlights the history and impact of co-operatives and features several specific social enterprises and co-operative initiatives that are contributing to the well-being of people in this province and some other Canadian locales.

Carolyn Camman (practicum student from Social Applied Psychology), Maria Basualdo (Exhibit Coordinator), and Lou Hammond Ketilson, Director of the Centre for the Study of Co-operatives (currently on sabbatical)

The exhibit, formally titled, “Building Community: Creating Social and Economic Well-Being”, was created as a co-operative effort between the Centre for the Study of Co-operatives and the Diefenbaker Canada Centre, who provided their expertise in museum quality exhibits. Lou Hammond Ketilson is the visionary who conceived of the idea for the exhibit after which individuals from the Centre Staff and the Diefenbaker Canada Centre grew and created the completed exhibit. While Lou has been on sabbatical in 2011, she has been devoting a great deal of time to her further vision of more portable versions of the exhibit that will travel throughout Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Northern Ontario.

Ed Bourassa, University of Saskatchewan Senator, and Brett Fairbairn, University of Saskatchewan Provost and Vice President Academic

Several sponsors kindly lent their support to bring this exhibit to Melfort knowing it would benefit all ages of citizens in Melfort and surrounding communities. You will see the names and logos of the sponsors at the bottom of this post.

Betty Bauhuis, Cornerstone Credit Union, and Doug Terry, Interim Mayor of Melfort

An official opening of the exhibit and a reception was held in Melfort on October 19, 2011. It was very well attended.

The exhibit will be in Melfort at the Kerry Vickar Centre until October 28 and it is expected that other Saskatchewan communities will host this or the more more portable version of the exhibit in 2012, the International Year of Co-operatives.

An online version of the exhibit is also available for your viewing and can be found here.

Please click on the image to better see the sponsors supporting the Building Communities Exhibit in Melfort.

Print PDF

The Saskatoon Co-op Network Ramps Up for IYC 2012

At last week’s Saskatoon Co-op Network Luncheon, Victoria Morris updated everyone about upcoming events for the International Year of Co-operatives in 2012. Seen here are just some of the proud, flag-waving co-op supporters.

Everyone is encouraged to get involved and take this opportunity to spread the word … that Co-operative Enterprises Build A Better World.

Print PDF