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Alternative Energy Social Enterprises Create First Nations Employment
Over thirty people toured a variety of Aki Energy work-sites on Peguis First Nation and Fisher River Cree Nation, Manitoba, on June 25th.  Aki Energy is an aboriginal social enterprise that trains community members who face barriers to employment to install geothermal retrofits to local housing. Manitoba currently boasts the highest rate of geothermal installations per capita in Canada, and for good reason. By harnessing the naturally stable temperature beneath the earth's surface, geothermal energy is able to provide green heat and cooling for one third of the cost of traditional systems. CCEDNet-Manitoba was a co-organizer of the event along with Shaun Loney, BUILD's executive director. Special thanks is extended to the reserve communities for their hospitality and grace. 
CCEDNet Members Meet in Cape Breton
On July 10, Atlantic members of the Canadian CED Network met in Cape Breton, part of the Creative Community Business Conference held at Cape Breton University. The event was called CED in Atlantic Canada: Strategies for Development and featured CCEDNet's Executive Director Mike Toye and Manitoba regional coordinator Brendan Reimer. Brendan spoke about the exceptional strength of the Manitoba CED community, which has resulted in a strong membership for CCEDNet. He emphasized the importance of procuring policy, building relationships, and patience, as growth takes time and hard work.
Saskatchewan CED News
Possibility of Equity Crowdfunding Inching Closer
On July 9, the Financial and Consumer Affairs of Saskatchewan hosted an information session to gauge the willingness for allowing small and medium size businesses to use equity crowdfunding. Equity crowdfunding allows for emerging companies ( for example) to access the capital they need by opening up their books to the public -- essentially an accelerated internet fundraising process. Saskatchewan would be the first province in Canada to allow for such action. The move would be accomplished by exempting some businesses from the Securities Act 1988. For us in the field of community economic development, the allowance of equity crowdfunding could be a welcome option for getting new businesses operational without . . .
Co-operative Leaders & Innovators Celebrated
 The Co-operative Merit Awards committee recently announced the recipients of the 34th annual Awards:
- Life Co-operative Achievement: Andre Perra, Harvey Heavin, Sandy Richards, and Ilene Roy will be recognized for their meritorious service to the co-op sector.
- Co-operative Contribution Award: Bev Maxim for her role in promoting the development, awareness, and understanding of co-ops.
- Co-operative Enterprise Award: Advantage Credit Union for their leadership and achievement in co-operative business.
- Co-operative Young Leders Award: Heather Hale for her outstanding contribution to Saskatchewan co-operatives.
The Awards will be presented at a gala banquet on October 15 in Regina, during National Co-op Week. Congratulations to all recipients!
A Call to Move Saskatoon to One-Planet Living 
Paul Hanley recently wrote a piece for the Star Phoenix pondering the question of whether Saskatoon could become a truly sustainable area to live. Hanley suggests some of the areas in which Canadian cities, and Saskatoon in particular, could improve. "Clearly, a major change in everyone's lifestyle is needed," he writes. His main criticism is aimed at government and development decisions that, when reduced to their core, essentially work to make consumption and growth more convenient. While this piece contains many strong points, the role of the local economy and the potential of community economic development in achieving sustainability is underdeveloped. Rearranging our economies to emphasize the local and sustainable needs to be a conscious choice, one that appears in matters pertaining to the environment, ecology, politics and the economy alike.
National CED News
Canada on the Global Stage: Social Enterprise World Forum
 CCEDNet is pleased to be a supporting partner in this year’s Social Enterprise World Forum. Registration is now open but early-bird registration rates only run until July 25 so be sure to register soon. This world class event is not to be missed. The impressive roster of speakers include the leading thinkers and actors in the social enterprise sector from across the globe. Among the presenters are several CCEDNet members, including our own Manitoba regional coordinator Brendan Reimer.
CCEDNet members are invited to a special gathering. This session will look at CCEDNet’s strategic directions, inspired by new local economy initiatives internationally. So plan to come a bit early when you book your travel to the SEWF! For more information on this session, email Philippe at p.menard-cote@ccednet-rcdec.ca
2014 Co-operative Summit to Tackle Major Global Challenges
 The co-operative community is set to tackle important global challenges like food security, access to health care, and the global job crisis at the International Summit of Co-ops next year. Last month, Summit organizers announced those three topics as the central themes that will be discussed at the event, which takes place in Quebec City, October 6-9, 2014. In addition to focusing on cooperative development and strengthening, Summit participants will discuss innovative ways cooperatives can make a difference and address these enormous global challenges.
The State of Homelessness in Canada
 At least 30,000 Canadians will experience homelessness tonight. By the end of this year, an estimated 200,000 Canadians will have experienced homelessness. These and other startling facts are highlighted in the recently released report, The State of Homelessness in Canada: 2013. The document examines what is known about homelessness, the historical, social and economic context in which it has emerged, demographic features of the problem, and potential solutions. Take Action Against Homelessness:
Following up on their efforts to support Bill C-400 and a national housing strategy, the Dignity for All campaign is sending a letter to the Premiers in advance of the Council of the Federation meeting July 24-26. The letter urges Canadian Premiers to put housing at the top of their agenda for this meeting. Click below if you or your organization supports housing as a human right, download the postcard below and send it to Premier Katherine Wynne (who is hosting the meeting on July 24-26) or send her an email by clicking here.
CED Book Club - Gather: the Art & Science of Effective Convening
The feature event of the Canadian CED Network's year is the Gathering, held every October in Winnipeg, which brings together over 600 people. Gather, a recent publication of the Rockefeller Foundation, attests to the importance of coming together to learn, improve, celebrate, and heal. The book is a manual of sorts for social planners seeking to convene the right group, and it offers some clarification on the distinction -- and thus more appropriate use of -- between conference, workshop, meetings, etc. The book is available for free download by following the link below. Enjoy!
A Little Bird Told Us: Top Tweets of the Month
 Here is a brief sampling of some of our most popular tweets from the past 30 days. Click here to follow us on Twitter.
- . calls on The Apprentice to include social enterprises: via
- Happy International Co-operative Day! Thank a or cooperator for their community impact today!
- "Social enterprise is not a political football, no party owns social enterprise" - British MP, Chris White http://ow.ly/mAz6M
- Canada to host Social Enterprise World Forum at a "pivotal time." October 2-4 in Calgary
- If you support as a human right, help put it on provincial agendas by signing this letter
Check out a short video that sums up the CCEDNet-RCDEC Twitter feed here: https://www.vizify.com/ccednet-rcdec/twitter-video
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