Aboriginal Co-operatives in Canada - Centre for the Study of Co ...
Aboriginal Co-operatives in Canada - Centre for the Study of Co ...
Aboriginal Co-operatives in Canada - Centre for the Study of Co ...
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~ E M E R G I N G T H E M E SEmerg<strong>in</strong>g ThemesImpact on <strong>Co</strong>mmunityPrevious studies 17 exam<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> impact <strong>of</strong> co-<strong>operatives</strong> on communities have identifiedparticular benefits associated with <strong>the</strong> <strong>for</strong>mation <strong>of</strong> co-<strong>operatives</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> follow<strong>in</strong>g three areas:build<strong>in</strong>g/ streng<strong>the</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g physical <strong>in</strong>frastructure, build<strong>in</strong>g/streng<strong>the</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g personal <strong>in</strong>frastructure,and build<strong>in</strong>g/ streng<strong>the</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g social <strong>in</strong>frastructure (social capital). An analysis <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> eleven casestudies found similar benefits.Build<strong>in</strong>g/Streng<strong>the</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g Physical Infrastructure <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operatives</strong> contribute to <strong>the</strong> development <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> physical <strong>in</strong>frastructure—roads, telecommunications, services—<strong>of</strong> a community through <strong>the</strong>construction <strong>of</strong> facilities and provision <strong>of</strong> services <strong>in</strong>adequately or not currently provided bygovernment or <strong>the</strong> private sector. While it is more <strong>of</strong>ten <strong>in</strong> remote and rural communities thatco-<strong>operatives</strong> play a major role <strong>in</strong> add<strong>in</strong>g to and improv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> physical <strong>in</strong>frastructure availableto community residents, examples can also be found <strong>in</strong> large urban sett<strong>in</strong>gs where market<strong>for</strong>ces are not currently serv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> needs <strong>of</strong> marg<strong>in</strong>alized communities.With<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> remote North, co-<strong>operatives</strong> such as Ikaluktutiak <strong>of</strong>fer retail services to providefood and hous<strong>in</strong>g essentials to <strong>the</strong> community, as well as o<strong>the</strong>r services—cable hook-up, <strong>for</strong>example. Through operat<strong>in</strong>g hotels and a craft-market<strong>in</strong>g co-operative, <strong>the</strong>y provide employmentas well, while facilitat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> development <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> tourism <strong>in</strong>dustry. In response to <strong>the</strong> lack<strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>frastructure <strong>in</strong> Nunavik, Puvirnituq <strong>Co</strong>-operative <strong>of</strong>fers a group <strong>of</strong> services to <strong>the</strong> community,<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g cable, bank<strong>in</strong>g, consumer loans, and <strong>in</strong>surance, <strong>in</strong> addition to a hotel andcourthouse as well as a general store.Apaqtukewaq Fisheries <strong>Co</strong>-operative manages <strong>the</strong> Chapel Island Band oyster-process<strong>in</strong>gfacility <strong>in</strong> Arichat, Nova Scotia, and is explor<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> feasibility <strong>of</strong> open<strong>in</strong>g an oysterprocess<strong>in</strong>gfacility on reserve, fur<strong>the</strong>r streng<strong>the</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> reserve community’s ability toprovide employment.Anish<strong>in</strong>abek Nation Credit Union will be facilitat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> accumulation <strong>of</strong> sav<strong>in</strong>gs and creat<strong>in</strong>ga source <strong>of</strong> credit <strong>for</strong> its members, as well as provid<strong>in</strong>g a full range <strong>of</strong> f<strong>in</strong>ancial services o<strong>the</strong>rwisenot available through conventional f<strong>in</strong>ancial <strong>in</strong>stitutions.The Kahnawake First Nation had not been well served by <strong>the</strong> traditional banks, which <strong>of</strong>tenhad little or no awareness <strong>of</strong> <strong>Aborig<strong>in</strong>al</strong> laws and culture, and had been reluctant to do bus<strong>in</strong>ess<strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> community. The criteria <strong>for</strong> grant<strong>in</strong>g loans—stable and permanent employment—was17 Lou Hammond Ketilson et al., The Social and Economic Importance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Co</strong>-operative Sector <strong>in</strong> Saskatchewan(Saskatoon: <strong>Centre</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Study</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Co</strong>-<strong>operatives</strong>, 1998).~ 39