Media advisory - Co-op leaders from across Canada to meet in Montreal June 27-29

OTTAWA, June 21, 2012 /CNW/ - More than 250 leaders of co-operatives and credit unions from across Canada will gather in Montreal from June 27-29 to celebrate the United Nations International Year of Co-operatives and discuss issues of importance to the Canadian co-operative movement.

Co-operative Enterprises Build a Better World is the theme of both the International Year and the joint Congress organized by Canada's two national co-operative associations, the Canadian Co-operative Association and the Conseil canadien de la coopération et de la mutualité.

The Congress will take place at the Centre Sheraton Montreal, 1201 Boulevard René Lévesque W.

Highlights of the Congress include:

• Wednesday June 27, 1:30-5 p.m.:  Tours of Montreal-area co-operatives
• Wednesday, June 27, 6-8 p.m.:  Reception at Montreal City Hall featuring Charles Gould, director-general of the International Co-operative Alliance and a representative of the City of Montreal.  Sponsored by Desjardins Group.
• Thursday, June 28, 8:30-9:30 a.m.:  Opening plenary session on the current state of co-operative enterprises in Canada, with keynote speakers Kathy Bardswick, president and CEO of The Co-operators and Camille Thériault, president and CEO of the Fédération  des caisses populaires acadiennes and former Premier of New Brunswick.
• Thursday, June 28, 9:30-11 a.m.:  Workshops on communicating the co-operative identity, the Canadian co-operative landscape, co-operative legislation and financing co-operatives
• Thursday, June 28, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.:   Panel on perceptions of co-operatives from outside the co-operative sector, with Chantal Hébert, political columnist for the Toronto Star, Le Devoir and l'Actualité, Jeremy Runnalls of Corporate Knights magazine and David Coletto, CEO of Abacus Data.
• Thursday, June 28, 1:30-4:30 p.m.:   Plenary session on the legacy of the International Year of Co-operatives featuring U.K. writer and financial journalist Andrew Bibby and Daniel Gélinas, lead organizer for the celebration of Quebec City's 400^th anniversary.
• Thursday, June 28, 7 p.m.:  Gala dinner and presentation of awards , emceed by magician Eric Leclerc with entertainment by Ensemble Montréal Tango.

All events on June 27 and 28 are open to the media. The main plenary sessions will also be webcast by Webtv, a Montreal-based media co-operative. To access the webcast, which is sponsored by The Co-operators, go to www.s.coop/Congress2012.

Co-operatives in Canada
Canada's 9,000 co-operatives have more than 18 million members, 155,000 employees, annual revenues of more than $50 billion and assets of more than $370 billion. Canadian co-operatives are represented by two national associations, the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) and the Conseil canadien de la coopération et de la mutualité (CCCM).

To find out more about the International Year of Co-operatives, go to www.canada2012.coop

and to arrange coverage or interviews, contact:

Donna Balkan
Communications Manager
Canadian Co-operative Association
613-238-6711, ext. 206
Cell: 613-314-1032
[email protected]

Visit our website at www.coopscanada.coop 

Michaël Béland
Director of Communications and Programs
Conseil canadien de la coopération et de la mutualité 
Tél.: [phone] p.24
Cell.: 613-265-7579
[email protected]

Visit our website at www.cccm.coop