Co-op enterprises have a long and proud history in Canada, from the Mouvement Desjardins and its more than five million members, to Vancity, to the United Farmers of Alberta; from the Fogo Island co-op to the new Ottawa Renewable Energy Cooperative and to the world-renowned Mountain Equipment Co-op, let us celebrate the values that drive this underestimated sector of our economy. Last week, Quebec City was host to the International Summit of Cooperatives, the showcase event of the International Year of Co-operatives.
Qu'il s'agisse du Mouvement Desjardins, qui compte plus de cinq millions de membres, de la caisse d'économie Vancity, des Cultivateurs unis de l'Alberta, de la coopérative de l'île Fogo, de la nouvelle coopérative d'énergie renouvelable d'Ottawa ou de la Mountain Equipment Co-op, de réputation internationale, les entreprises coopératives ont une longue et fière histoire au Canada.