The Ontario Co-operative Association
Thousands of co-operative and credit union members across Canada will be taking part in events on Thursday, January 12th to officially launch the United Nations International Year of Co-operatives.
The national launch will take place in Ottawa, while 13 regions across the country, including Guelph, Ontario, will be conducting their own festivities on the same day. Events will also be happening in Europe and elsewhere.
The Ontario launch will take place in Guelph, where event organizer, the Ontario Co-operative Association – the provincial organization which is a key resource for all co-ops and credit unions in Ontario - is located. Celebrations begin at 11:30 a.m. with a public flag-raising ceremony at City Hall, including opening remarks from Guelph Mayor Karen Farbridge, as well as from Guelph MPP Liz Sandals who will be bringing greetings on behalf of the Premier. Planet Bean Coffee, owned by Sumac Community Worker Co-op, will be serving up some hot beverages for attendees.
Leaders and stakeholders from the co-operative movement across the province, along with members of the Guelph Co-op Network and business community, will gather at The Co-operators in downtown Guelph following the flag-raising ceremony, for a networking luncheon that is by special invitation only. Attendees will watch a live webcast from the nation’s capital at 12:30 EST, which will include remarks by Kathy Bardswick, president and CEO of The Co-operators, and Monique Leroux, President and CEO of Desjardins and the Honourable Steven Blaney, federal Minister of Veterans Affairs and the MP for Lévis-Bellechasse.
The webcast, which will also include the premiere of a co-operative musical work by the Montreal group Samajam, will be available for public viewing at http://s.coop/canada2012live Co-operatives and others are encouraged to gather in groups to watch the broadcast.
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