The Canadian Worker Co-op Federation ("CWCF") is pleased to announce its 2009 national Conference: operations

• The focus at the 2009 CWCF Conference will be on practical training and sharing which will be highly relevant for worker co-ops. An additional focus this year will be on how worker co-ops can be part of the solution, survive and even thrive in times of economic crisis such as the current period, as well as in the face of environmental crisis. Last but not least, we will focus on having fun: WC Trade Fair, WC Jam Session, time for socializing together, etc.
• Keynote speaker will be Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party of Canada, who has stated that one of the three most influential people in her life was Moses Coady, founder of the Antigonish Co-operative Movement.
• Video link from the CICOPA Conference occurring in Geneva, Switzerland, sharing information on what's happening with worker co-ops internationally. (CICOPA in the international worker co-op federation.)
• Focus on welcoming a diversity of participants including immigrants, aboriginal people, youth, etc.
• Participatory training workshops, including "Worker Co-ops 101", and on various issues of relevance to running a worker co-op - for worker co-op members, co-op developers, and the general public. There will be information on resources available to assist in developing worker co-operatives.

What lessons can we learn from how co-operatives have helped people to weather tough times in the past? Paul Hazen will overview the history of how people have used co-ops in recessionary times. He will also discuss how co-ops in the U.S. and abroad are managing during the current economic crisis.

WEBINAR #2: September 17th 1:30 - 3:00 pm EDT
Preserving Main Streets Through Co-operatives
Howard Brodsky: Co-Founder, Chairman, and Co-CEO of CCA Global Partners.

Small family-owned businesses can and do compete with big-box stores. Howard Brodsky will review the shared services co-operative model and how it has enabled thousands of small, Main Street business owners to successfully compete against Goliath outlets like Wal-Mart and Home Depot.

WEBINAR #3: October 14th 1:30 - 3:00 pm EDT
How are Credit Unions Performing in the Current Banking Crisis?
(Moderator) Jessica Gordon Nembhard: Associate Professor, John Jay College.
(Panelists) Ronald Covey: President & CEO, St. Mary's Bank. Clifford Rosenthal:
President & CEO, National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions.

This session will be a panel discussion about how credit unions and community development credit unions are doing in this period of bank foreclosures and bailouts. The panelists will elaborate on how credit unions are working with their members to not only survive the current economic downturn; but also to build assets for themselves and their families.

WEBINAR #4: October 21st 1:30 - 3:00 pm EDT
Housing Co-operatives in a Time of Foreclosures
Terry Lewis, Esq.: LIA Associates & Chair, Co-operative Development Foundation.
Co-operatives and Public Policy
John Holdsclaw: Director of Policy Development, NCB Capital Impact.

They will also talk about how they are working with low-income residents to access banking services and to build personal savings and asset wealth. Housing co-ops haven't experienced the same rates of foreclosure as other forms of ownership. Co-ops are a great model for providing home ownership to people of all income levels and stages of life. Terry Lewis will discuss how housing co-ops are the right model for moving foreclosed homes into stable ownership. John Holdsclaw, a School of CED at Southern NH University alumnus, has successfully advocated co-op policy issues at NCB Capital Impact for many years. He will reflect on current public policy priorities in strengthening the use of cooperatives for community economic development.

Registration:

$50 regular registration
$15 low income/student registration

Purpose of this Workshop

The purpose of this workshop is to share perspectives and build understandings about approaches to Guaranteed Income. BIEN Canada believes that such sharing will aid the continued growth and mobilization of a network of individuals and organizations in Canada committed to realizing an expanded basic/guaranteed income system for Canada, and thus to realizing income security for all Canadians.

Who Should Participate?

The workshop is designed to both inform and engage participants in discussion of a variety of approaches and models for achieving Guaranteed Income and universal income security. The target audience includes "first voice" persons (those with the lived experience of poverty), academics and researchers, social justice movements, community organizations, social and economic policy analysts, and government officials and politicians.

If you are interested in an informal meeting of researchers working on guaranteed income on Thursday morning, please email Mike McCracken (mcracken[at]informetrica.com) to confirm your interest.