Bonjour, CWCF members and friends,

There are three major threads in the work we are doing at CWCF this summer: (1) planning for the very exciting Quebec City Conferences, which you can read about in the next two articles, (2) writing of the draft Worker Co-op Declaration on Public Policy, which we are proposing to the other worker co-op federations in North America, for signing at the Quebec Worker Co-op Conference, and (3) support to CoopZone in launching the Co-op Development distance Training program, to start in September. Of course, a backdrop to all of this is continued preparations for the UN International Year of Co-ops in 2012 (IYC). As you can read in this newsletter, there are many other things going on in the world of worker co-ops.

Re; the Public Policy Declaration: here is the preamble (written by CWCF President Alain Bridault), to this Declaration, which we will call the Quebec Declaration:

“Who We Are, What We Believe, and the Kind of World We Want to Build

Worker co-operatives are enterprises that are owned and controlled by their workers. Their purpose is to provide their member-owners with a work environment which facilitates their professional and human development, and the best wages and benefits possible within the capacity of their businesses. Their way of being is to be democratically run on the principle of one person - one vote and to practice the co-operative values ​​of freedom, equality, equity, solidarity and responsibility.

Together, members of worker co-operatives work for the establishment of a new mode of socio-economic development with a human face, in which economic, social and cultural needs of human beings will always prevail over the requirements of capital. We envision a co-operative economy whose goal is to serve the needs of the people who build it rather than the capital that finances it. Together, members work for the establishment of a new mode of sustainable socio-economic development that is just for all, and compatible with the ecological sustainability of our planet.

Our inter-cooperative federations have the mission to help worker co-operatives build a new world with a just and caring human face.“

IYC news: Co-ops Week in 2011 has the theme of IYC, “Co-operative Enterprises Build a Better World.” The Canadian Co-op Association (CCA) is working on materials that can be distributed to local co-ops that will form the basis of an IYC toolkit. This will include resolutions, talking points, media kits and more templates and promotional items. Brochure, sign and sticker templates are also available from OnCo-op’s web site, with more templates to come. On Co-op’s master list of easy-to-implement ideas for IYC is here: www.tinyurl.com/IYCOntario. Also, the Alberta Co-op Café (http://www.tinyurl.com/coop-cafe), which CWCF has hosted in the broader co-op sector in Alberta, is gearing up to move into the implementation phase, although decisions have not yet been made.

The CoopZone Developers' Network Co-operative, administered by CWCF, is offering a two-level on-line training program on co-operative development, starting in September – as you may have read in a prior CWCF e-Newsletter. It is scheduled to take 2- to 3- hours / week over the course of the next academic year for the Foundations level, and the next two academic years for the Advanced level. Peter Hough is the Course Director. CoopZone will be offering bursaries for those who qualify, for up to one-half of the tuition. For more information about it, please see: www.coopzone.coop/en/node/3705

A reminder: if you’d like to submit a resolution to CWCF’s Annual General Meeting this year, the deadline for submission of resolutions is on August 13th.

If ever you have a question or comment, as always do not hesitate to contact us. Happy summer, all!

Si jamais vous avez une question ou un commentaire, n'hésitez pas à nous contacter. Je vous souhaite tous et toutes un bel été.

In Co-operation,

Hazel