12.07.2015 Views

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 ...

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

caisses populaires Desjard<strong>in</strong>s. The new co-op, l’Association co-opérative de Povungnituk was<strong>the</strong> second co-op <strong>in</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn Quebec.The first Eskimo co-operative <strong>in</strong> <strong>Canada</strong> was <strong>for</strong>med by <strong>the</strong> Inuit <strong>of</strong> Kangirsualujuaq (GeorgeRiver) <strong>in</strong> 1959. They obta<strong>in</strong>ed a loan <strong>of</strong> $12,500 from <strong>the</strong> federal government, which was used tobuy fish<strong>in</strong>g equipment. In addition to <strong>the</strong> co-operative <strong>in</strong> Povungnituk, o<strong>the</strong>r co-ops were <strong>for</strong>medwith<strong>in</strong> two years <strong>in</strong> Fort Chimo, Payne Bay, Port Burwell (NWT) and Great Whale River. Thefederal government provided guidance <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong>se co-ops (except<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> co-op <strong>in</strong> Povungnituk),dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong>ir early years.In order to coord<strong>in</strong>ate <strong>the</strong>ir ef<strong>for</strong>ts, five co-ops <strong>in</strong> five regions <strong>of</strong> Nouveau-Quebec (Port-Nouveau-Quebec, Povungnituk, Kuujjuaq, Poste-de-la-Bale<strong>in</strong>e, Payne Bay) were helped by le<strong>Co</strong>nseil Canadien de la <strong>Co</strong>opération, <strong>the</strong> government <strong>of</strong> Quebec and <strong>the</strong> Desjard<strong>in</strong>s movement to<strong>for</strong>m a federation. On May 20 1967, la Fédération des co-opératives du Nouveau-Quebec was<strong>in</strong>corporated and its headquarters were established <strong>in</strong> Lévis near Québec City, but moved to VilleSt. Laurent (near Montreal) a few years later, and <strong>the</strong>n to Baie-D’Urfé (on <strong>the</strong> island <strong>of</strong>Montreal).Today, la Fédération des co-opératives du Nouveau-Québec delivers numerous services to itsmembers, such as: coord<strong>in</strong>ation (guidance to members); audit and account<strong>in</strong>g; retail storedevelopment (tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g, management and purchas<strong>in</strong>g); tourism development (market<strong>in</strong>g anddevelopment <strong>for</strong> tourist facilities <strong>for</strong> members and non-members); market<strong>in</strong>g (<strong>for</strong> Inuit art, furs,fea<strong>the</strong>r, eiderdown, and fish); co-operative development (co-op loans program, translation, firerelief fund); petroleum distribution (to communities); technical assistance (plann<strong>in</strong>g andconstruction <strong>of</strong> build<strong>in</strong>gs and facilities <strong>for</strong> members); and material handl<strong>in</strong>g (receipts andshipments <strong>of</strong> goods to co-op members).83

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!