12:00pm Eastern Time
(free for CWCF members, $20 for non-members)

Worker co-operatives, and co-operatives in general, are more resilient than corporately and privately owned businesses to many economic challenges.  How have they done in the midst of a global pandemic, an economic and climate crisis?  There is good news here for renewing our commitment to the growth of worker co-operatives in Canada and various other countries.  Will worker co-operatives pick up the banner of hope against these global challenges?

Register for "Building a Resilient and Equitable Economy Post-Covid"

Presenter:

Eric Tusz-King is a member of Aster Environmental Services Co-operative in Sackville, New Brunswick. Previously Eric was a founding member and manager of EnerGreen Builders Co-operative that was created in 2006 to help homeowners to have energy efficient homes. He has initiated, encouraged and/or been a member of several different types of co-operatives. The most recent initiatives are Beauséjour Renewable Energy Co-operative, an investment co-operative in community solar and wind renewable energy projects and Open Sky Co-op, a solidarity co-op that provides residence, vocational and social support for people who face barriers due to mental health or social development. With Eric also being a diaconal minister in the United Church of Canada, he is quite comfortable with engaging in conversations with a theological or spiritual lens. Eric also works part-time as a co-operative developer with the Co-operative Enterprise Council of New Brunswick. Eric is the Course Director for the CoopZone co-operative developer education courses. He is currently the Canadian Worker Co-operatives Federation’s Atlantic Board Director.

7pm - 8:15pm Eastern Time

This webinar is the 5th in a series of the Just Transition Listening Project hosted by the Labor Network for Sustainability and friends.

As we stand at the intersection of multiple, intertwined global crises—an environmental justice pandemic, the threat of fascism and white supremacy, and the crash of the fossil fuel economy, it’s hard not to feel despondent about the future of humanity.

However, communities that have historically been most impacted by these crises—Black, Brown and Indigenous peoples on the frontlines of poverty, pollution and police violence, are also cultivating visionary strategies for building a better world—pathways to restore the balance of natural ecosystems and human relations, and sharing these across frontline struggles worldwide.

Register now for the Just Transition - Transformative Strategies on the Frontlines of Struggle webinar

Who are these frontline community leaders?

This panel represents some of the most visionary leaders from Black, Brown and Indigenous communities across North America (Turtle Island)—organizing at the intersection of environmental justice in communities that have historically been the first and most impacted by both the storms, floods, fires and droughts associated with climate change, as well as people who have borne the most disproportionate burdens of pollution, poverty, police violence and pandemic perpetuated by the extractive economy driving climate change.

These four community organizers have been immersed in long-term campaigns and organizing strategies to build local, economic alternatives to replace the same extractive, industrial economy causing these crises, and linking their efforts with state, national and international movement alliances, such as the Climate Justice Alliance, representing the leadership of thousands of frontline communities. 

What can we expect to glean?

Labor and environmental activists can learn how grassroots struggles of radicalized communities are building power and effectively organizing against industries and government policies that are driving pollution, poverty, police violence as well as climate chaos.

We can learn how international unions and green groups need to build shared vision and common cause, as well as bridge the racial divide with these Black, Brown and Indigenous communities who are first and most impacted by pollution, poverty, police violence and climate chaos.

We can also learn how these frontline community strategies to dismantle today’s colonial, extractive economies and build local, living, caring and sharing alternatives – pose the best opportunities for all working class people seeking jobs that are healthy, sustainable and supportive of families and community wellbeing.

Featuring

• Host, Panel Moderator: Jeff Johnson, Former President, Washington State Labor Council (AFL-CIO)
• Rosalinda Guillen, Community 2 Community
• Elizabeth Yeampierre, UPROSE
• Enei Begaye, Native Movement
• Kali Akuno, Cooperation Jackson

Complete the Co-op Week Scavenger Hunt. Win prizes! Celebrate Co-op Week!

Play solo or with a team. YOU DON'T NEED TO BE FROM SASKATCHEWAN. 

The Scavenger Hunt and its prizes are available to co-op and credit union staff and members, and sector supporters and friends all across the world. (After all, it's 2020 - we're thinking well outside the box this year!!)

Play from anywhere using the GooseChase App (in the app, enter #localcooplove or game code 3K3DER to play), a smartphone and an internet connection (If you want to play offline, email Victoria for the missions, and then tag us and post your responses on social media or email your responses to SCA).

The scavenger hunt is designed with safety during the pandemic in mind!

Learn more about how you can play!

12pm - 1:30pm CST/MDT

Co-operatives and credit unions are fundamentally different from other business enterprises. That difference is sometimes difficult to explain to others (and perhaps even to ourselves), but it is incredibly important nonetheless -- precious, in fact. 

Wayne Schatz, Vice President and General Counsel, Operations and Distribution, The Co-operators Group Limited, speaks on "Co-operative Identity: Why Should I Care?". Wayne will explore how co-operative enterprises are more relevant than ever in today's world. He'll challenge you to question the assumptions we make every day which may weaken co-operative identity. 

RSVP by October 9th to victoria.morris@sask.coop. You'll be sent a Zoom link and directions for connecting.The webinar is 1.5 hours long and includes time for questions.

11am Central Time

Join the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives - Manitoba Office and the Manitoba Research Alliance on October 15th to hear about Indigenizing the Co-operative Model as part of Canada’s Co-op Week. The event will be hosted on Zoom and broadcast live on Facebook.

The panel discussion will help launch recent research by Jim Thunder and Mark Intertas that delves into the history of Indigenous governance in Canada, the significant overlap in values and principles between Indigenous forms of governance and co-operatives, and studies the differences in success of Indigenous co-operatives in urban and rural communities. This research was funded by the Manitoba Research Alliance and is published by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. The authors will be joined by Kathy Mallett and Mary Nirlungayuk, and moderated by Crystal Laborero, project lead for Ka Ni Kanichihk’s report Building Aboriginal Cooperative Capacity (2017).

Register for the Indigenizing the Co-operative Model report launch and online panel