In June, while Congress remained the primary focus, Dan also had the opportunity to participate in several activities and engage with stakeholders across the sector beyond the event.
On May 19, Dan delivered a webinar to participants from the Manitoba Co-operative Association as part of their Co-op Connections Series, providing an overview of the co-operative ecosystem across Canada.
He also presented the Canadian co-operative ecosystem to participants in the Women’s Mentorship Program, a flagship initiative of the Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada. In 2026, the program brought together 16 women from Ghana, Ethiopia, and Kenya for a month-long experience focused on leadership, mentorship, and women’s empowerment within the Canadian credit union sector.
The program combines two weeks of classroom learning in Ottawa with two weeks of intensive community placements across the country. Dan was pleased to attend the group’s graduation ceremony on June 12.
On June 3, Dan also had the opportunity to present the Canadian co-operative movement to a delegation from the Australian Co-operative Housing Alliance. The group was meeting with the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada in Ottawa before travelling to Fredericton to attend the Annual General Meeting of their counterpart organization.
Notably, the delegation included Elizabeth (Liz) Thomas, representing Australia’s apex body, the Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals. Liz later attended the CMC Congress before rejoining her colleagues in New Brunswick.
As part of the Partner Day activities associated with Congress, Daniel joined Dr. Rafael Ziegler and Dr. Marc-André Pigeon to launch the Policy Forum at the annual Conference of the Canadian Association for Studies in Co-operation. Following Congress, he also participated in a delegation visit to Guelph.
During this visit, the group learned about the history of Co-operators and toured their new award-winning, zero-carbon headquarters. The day also featured presentations from Central Ontario FS, a retail division of U.S.-based Growmark; Hypha Worker Co-operative, specializing in artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure; and Your Neighbourhood Credit Union, which now holds $3.7 billion in assets and operates locations across Ontario following its merger with Comtech Fire Credit Union. The delegation also heard from Just Us Coffee, which supplies the café located within the building.
Following Congress week, Dan had the opportunity to participate in the 10th anniversary celebrations of Co-operatives First, held at Wanuskewin—a significant gathering site for Northern Plains Indigenous peoples for over 6,400 years.
Co-operatives First was established, and continues to be supported, by the Co-operative Retailing System/Federated Co-operatives Limited, enabling the organization to provide free services that support co-operative development across Western Canada. As highlighted during the event, Co-operatives First has contributed to over 300 projects and supported more than 170 rural and Indigenous co-operatives to date.
Dan is pictured alongside Audra Krueger, Executive Director, and Kyle White, Director of Education.
While in Saskatoon, Dan also had the opportunity to connect with Susan Ens Funk, President of SES Solar Co-operative. The organization’s origins date back to 2014, when the Entrepreneurial Committee of the Saskatchewan Environmental Society Inc. was formed and later participated in Affinity Credit Union’s Business for Good Social Venture Challenge.
SES Solar Co-operative brings together members who pool resources to invest in large-scale solar projects, with the goal of increasing access to renewable energy and supporting the province’s energy transition. Given Saskatchewan’s grid requirements, the co-operative partners with contractors to install solar arrays on commercial sites, where host organizations lease and support the infrastructure.
Since launching its first project in 2016, the co-operative has enabled 10 major installations. Collectively, these projects generate more than 500 kW of clean energy and offset over 700 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually.
A longtime history enthusiast, Dan is known to pull over to read historical plaques—sometimes to the amusement (or impatience) of those travelling with him. On this occasion, however, it was pure chance that led him to a plaque recognizing Violet McNaughton as a Person of National Historic Significance.
As noted in her Parks Canada biography, “From 1926 to 1960, she promoted her vision of agrarian feminism, pacifism and the cooperative movement as a journalist with The Western Producer.” For those planning to attend Congress 2027, this is a piece of trivia worth keeping in mind for the quiz.
Lastly, while in Saskatoon, Dan made a point of visiting the University of Saskatchewan campus, home to the Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives (CCSC), which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2024.
Affiliated with the Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, CCSC is an interdisciplinary research centre dedicated to equipping the co-operative sector, policymakers, and researchers with data, conceptual tools, and applied analysis to better understand and advance co-operative organizations as solutions to social and economic challenges.
Pictured with Dan are Stan Yu, Research and Communications Coordinator; Dr. Marc-André Pigeon, Director and Strategic Research Fellow; and Nathalie Kallio, Professional Research Associate.
If you would like to invite Dan to visit your co‑operative, credit union, caisse, or mutual during his travels, please contact him at dbrunette@canada.coop.