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Aboriginal Co-operatives in Canada - Centre for the Study of Co ...

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A P P E N D I X I ~sources can be more <strong>of</strong> a h<strong>in</strong>drance than a benefit, s<strong>in</strong>ce government <strong>in</strong>tervention andassistance usually <strong>in</strong>volves certa<strong>in</strong> conditions that must be followed. For this reason it ispreferable <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> co-op to <strong>in</strong>vest <strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong>itiatives that can be f<strong>in</strong>anced us<strong>in</strong>g funds from privatef<strong>in</strong>ancial <strong>in</strong>stitutions and co-op equity. The co-op has enjoyed a great deal <strong>of</strong> success becausecommunity members support it and take pride <strong>in</strong> ownership.Although three or four different managers have been local people, <strong>the</strong>re have been some difficultiesand complications associated with community members manag<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> co-op, so <strong>the</strong> coopboard and membership have decided not to pursue <strong>the</strong> goal <strong>of</strong> hav<strong>in</strong>g a band member <strong>in</strong>management. Significant general employment, however, has been created <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> community,although family connections with<strong>in</strong> a relatively small community can complicate employmentmatters <strong>for</strong> some people. Some clerks, <strong>for</strong> <strong>in</strong>stance, have experienced difficulties from time totime because so many family members use <strong>the</strong> co-op’s services. Lester Roberts notes that <strong>the</strong>reneeds to be an outside person runn<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> co-op, and that any organization <strong>in</strong> a communitysuch as Stanley Mission needs at least one outside person. “The expertise is <strong>the</strong>re (with<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>community), but that’s not <strong>the</strong> problem.”Future EndeavoursThe Amachewespimaw<strong>in</strong> <strong>Co</strong>-op has successfully undergone considerable expansion over<strong>the</strong> years. The most recent is <strong>the</strong> new build<strong>in</strong>g presently under construction <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> largerrestaurant. The board <strong>of</strong> directors and <strong>the</strong> manager are also hop<strong>in</strong>g that <strong>the</strong> co-op will be ableto acquire <strong>the</strong> <strong>Canada</strong> Post contract, which is currently held by <strong>the</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Store. Mail<strong>in</strong>gaddresses <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> community are general delivery because <strong>the</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Store does not haveadequate space to provide <strong>in</strong>dividual mailboxes. When <strong>the</strong> new build<strong>in</strong>g is completed, <strong>the</strong> coopwill have enough space to provide such a service, so <strong>the</strong> possibility <strong>of</strong> obta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> <strong>Canada</strong>Post contract is quite promis<strong>in</strong>g.A co-operative model is not be<strong>in</strong>g considered <strong>for</strong> provid<strong>in</strong>g services such as health care, daycare, or hous<strong>in</strong>g, as <strong>the</strong> community already has many needed services <strong>in</strong> place. There is a daycare, <strong>for</strong> <strong>in</strong>stance, and a large health centre that provides various services to community members.A number <strong>of</strong> locals provide guid<strong>in</strong>g services to tourists who come through <strong>the</strong> area enroute to fish<strong>in</strong>g camps and <strong>the</strong> like, and <strong>the</strong>re are not any plans to <strong>in</strong>volve <strong>the</strong> co-op <strong>in</strong> similarendeavours. There have been <strong>in</strong>quiries from <strong>in</strong>dividuals <strong>in</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r nor<strong>the</strong>rn communities such asSouth End, Black Lake, and Deschambault Lake, who have approached board members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>Amachewespimaw<strong>in</strong> <strong>Co</strong>-op about start<strong>in</strong>g co-ops <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir areas, which might possibly bel<strong>in</strong>ked with <strong>the</strong> co-op <strong>in</strong> Stanley Mission.376 ~

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