Unemployment on First Nations and in inner city neighbourhoods? Climate change? Exponential diabetes rates? Unaffordable government? High incarceration rates? There are no shortage of chronic and insatiable societal problems.

Shaun Loney's An Army of Problem Solvers offers good news at a time when we need it most. Loney draws on his experience as one of Canada's leading social enterprise developers and his time as a senior civil servant to offer up a new and practical vision.

The problem isn't the problems, he says. The problem is that governments prevent problem solvers from doing their job.

Just who are the problem solvers? Loney makes the case that social enterprises, social entrepreneurs and the small farm movement comprise the "solutions economy". Governments will soon understand that it is their job to "make it easy for problem solvers."

The book comes at a time when Canada is discussing what reconciliation between Indigenous Canadians and the rest of the country means. Loney argues that we can’t achieve it without allowing the re-emergence of local economies. An Army of Problems Solvers answers the question: "what does nation-to-nation mean?"

Watch the webinar to learn more about Shaun Loney's new book An Army of Problem Solvers and learn how you can join ranks!

PRESENTER

Shaun Loney, author and social enterprise developer

Shaun is a longtime member of the Canadian CED Network, an Ashoka Fellow (first in Canadian Prairies) and an Ernst and Young's Entrepreneur of the Year (2014). He has co-founded and mentored 11 social enterprises including BUILD Inc (2011 Scotia Bank EcoLiving Green Business of the year and 2013 Manitoba Apprenticeship Employer of the Year). Shaun was Director of Energy Policy for the Government of Manitoba (2002-2008 and political advisor to Gary Doer's NDP (1997-2002). Shaun lives in Winnipeg, with his partner Fiona. Between them they have three teenage boys. Shaun is proud to be part of a strong and visionary social enterprise team that is flourishing across the country.  An Army of Problem Solvers is Shaun’s second book, following BUILD Prosperity: Energizing Manitoba’s Local Economy.

HOST

Darcy Penner, Social Enterprise Policy Manager with the Canadian CED Network

Darcy has been working in community economic development since graduating from the University of Winnipeg with a BA (Honours) degree in Politics. Starting at CCEDNet in 2013, his role has seen him work with member-organizations to pursue a broad policy agenda through workshops, presentations, budget submissions, policy papers and community-organizing, while specializing in supportive social enterprise policy and research – including being the Project Manager for the Manitoba Social Enterprise Strategy being co-produced with the Province of Manitoba, and coordinating the Manitoba Social Enterprise Sector Survey. 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• An Army of Problem Solvers
• BUILD Prosperity: Energizing Manitoba’s Local Economy
• Social Enterprise and the Solutions Economy: A Toolkit for Manitoba First Nations
• Interview with Shaun Loney on CBC's The Current

5pm to 7pm
Volta Labs (7th Floor)
1505 Barrington St.

At Common Good Solutions we want to keep important conversations going and growing across Nova Scotia.

We are excited to welcome you to our first “Conversations for the Common Good” meetup and networking event at Volta on November 9th. We'll be talking about social enterprise as a tool for Community Economic Development along with members of the Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNet) Nova Scotia Chapter.

Register for Conversations for the Common Good

Meet like-minded community leaders and learn about the resources available to bring your idea to life.

Andy Horsnell, co-founder of Common good Solutions, Vice Chair of the Social Enterprise Council of Canada, Chair of the Centre for Local Prosperity, Director and Secretary of the Social Enterprise Network of Nova Scotia will be leading the discussion.

*light snacks and refreshments will be provided.

How to enable individual investment in community economic development is a fundamental question for those working to support the creation and growth of initiatives with social impact. Since 1999, Nova Scotia has used the model of Community Economic Development Investment Funds (CEDIFs), capital pooled from contributions by individuals, corporations and trusts within a defined community and used to fund business development within the defined community.

New Brunswick is the latest province to implement legislation to enable community investment through Community Economic Development Corporations (CEDCs). Individuals will now be able to purchase shares or securities in CEDCs in their local community to pool their resources together to invest in eligible community projects. CEDCs will be controlled by a local group of officers and directors.

Learn about what's unique about the New Brunswick model for community investment, key lessons learned in establishing the CEDC legislation, and more!

PRESENTER

Jeff Harriman, Senior Analyst-Capital Markets, Financial and Consumer Service Commission (FCNB)

Jeff is a Chartered Accountant, and is the FCNB’s main point of contact for our Fullsail capital markets initiatives. Currently he is working on a number of programs and initiatives relating to FCNB’s access to capital focus. Jeff joined the FCNB in June, 2007 in the Regulatory Affairs division as a Securities Analyst where his responsibilities included financial statement, and prospectus reviews. He has experience on several National Finance Committees. Prior to joining the Commission Jeff worked for 10 years with Deloitte & Touche, LLP, 7 within Saint John and 3 in Brisbane, Australia.

HOST

Wendy Keats, Executive Director of the Co-operative Enterprise Council of New Brunswick and CCEDNet Board Member

Wendy Keats is a co-founder and the Executive Director of the Co-operative Enterprise Council of New Brunswick, a leading CED agency in the province. Prior to this, she spent 18 years as a private CED consultant and trainer working with nearly 200 community groups in organizational development, strategic planning, governance, project management, and many other development areas. Wendy is a certified mediator and served as a senior faculty member of UPEI’s Centre for Conflict Studies for more than a decade.  She provides training and mediation services to all levels of government, business and the community. Wendy sits on numerous boards and committees related to CED and has a special passion for youth engagement and renewable energy.  She lives completely off-the-grid in the woods of Salisbury, tending her gardens and relaxing on the river whenever the hectic world of CED allows it.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• New Brunswick Announces Draft Regulations for Community Economic Development Investment Funds
• New Brunswick Publishes Regulations Creating CED Corporations
• Community Economic Development Investment Funds: The Nova Scotia Experience
• CEDC Expression of Interest Form
• Offering Document for CEDCs