Join us in Ottawa, May 30 – June 1!

For the first time, several of the leading cooperative, community economic development and social economy networks in Canada are coming together for an unprecedented gathering of community leaders, researchers and civil society representatives. The 2010 National Summit on a People-Centred Economy will craft a common agenda to scale up social and economic innovation for sustainable and inclusive communities.

The National Summit is part of the growing movement supporting economic alternatives in Canada and around the world. Several exciting speakers will offer inspiring examples of the successes and even greater potential this movement offers:

• A representative of the new partnership between the United Steelworkers, North America’s largest industrial union, and Mondragon, the world’s biggest worker-owned co-operative, will present their new joint venture to open Mondragon manufacturing cooperatives in Canada and the United States.
• Raj Patel, the New York Times bestselling author, academic and activist will make connections between our current food, climate and economic crises, as well as the democratic responses that can lead to more sustainable and equitable systems, drawing from his books Stuffed and Starved and The Value of Nothing.
• Nancy Neamtan, President of the Chantier de l’économie sociale and Ian MacPherson, Co-Director and Principal Investigator of the Canadian Social Economy Hub, will survey the accomplishments of the social economy and cooperative sectors in Canada, and challenge participants on the path ahead.

As part of the preparatory process for the Summit, six issue papers have been drafted on key themes for the development of a people-centred economy. Each paper presents strengths, challenges and proposals for action to further reinforce the movement. The issue papers will be subject to an engagement and outreach process for feedback and revisions by Summit participants and other stakeholders between March 1 and May 15. To read the papers and find out how to provide your input, click here!

Register now! The deadline for early bird registration is April 15th so act fast to take advantage of reduced rates. For more information, visit: http://www.ccednet-rcdec.ca/en/summit.

We hope to see you in Ottawa!