In late October, the first of two back-to-back international events provided a unique opportunity to contribute to the worldwide dialogue on co-operatives and highlight the Canadian movement on the world stage.
The first, the Global Co-op Innovation Summit (GICS) 2025 took place in Torres Vedras, Portugal, on October 27 and 28. Building on the success of the Montreal 2023, Paris 2022 and the virtual events in 2021 and 2020, the Summit was coordinated by the Canada-based International Cooperative Innovation Network (RICI) and CMC was pleased to participate on its Advisory Committee and as a moderator on multiple reporting panels.
The program was built around how co-operatives can leverage their democratic foundation and commitment to people-centered values to respond to modern challenges. The streams, through workshops and expert-panels, focused on providing the knowledge and tools to empower people to act, build and maintain trust and bring forward systemic change. Dan was pleased to see many Canadians as attendees and on stage, including Alexandra Wilson, Chair of the ICA’s Co-op Identity Group and Robby Tulus, Ottawa-based co-founder of the Indonesian credit union movement.
Representatives from the Conseil Québécois de la coopération et de la mutualité, Impact ON, Baseline, the Co-operative Development Foundation, SOCODEVI, the, Sustainability Solutions Group, the International Centre for Co‑operative Management at Saint Mary’s University, the Desjardins-Guy-Bernier Chair of Cooperation at the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) were present and the Consortium for Collective Enterprise Cooperation provided both speakers and back-offices services for the event.
23 hours after stepping off stage at the GICS 2025 in Portugal, Dan could be found 1153 kilometers to the North-East, presenting in Bordeaux, France at the Global Social and Solidarity Economy Forum (GSEF 2025).
Taking place from October 29-31, this biennial gathering brings together thousands of representatives from over a hundred countries, to explore and share best practices to promote SSE as a means to achieve inclusive and sustainable local development.
Moderated by Béatrice Alain from the Chantier de l’économie sociale, the roundtable in which Dan participated was titled “A North American dialogue on SSE development and local practices as a breeding ground for democratic Renewal”. Dan contributed alongside fellow Canadian Celina Caesar-Chavannes from the Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNet) and Southerly neighbours David Cobb from the US Solidarity Economy Network and the Intercontinental Network for the Promotion of Social Solidarity Economy (RIPESS), as well as Joe Guinan from the Democracy Collaborative.
The impressive event had 13 plenary sessions and 169 roundtables organized in seven pathways, each of which explored different aspects of the social and solidarity economy, informed by the realities from 5 continents. The massive exhibition hall and the hallways leading to it were buzzing with ideas, nascent collaborations and big-picture statements!
Lastly, it should also be mentioned that Dan was greatly impressed by the deep ties and ongoing collaboration between the Quebec and French stakeholders in particular, with many references to study tours, mutually inspired SSE pieces of legislation and expertise-sharing initiatives. This explains the very strong presence of representatives from Quebec at the GSEF, with participation from speakers from La Belle Province in over a quarter of the sessions!
In November, after being back from his international travels, Dan headed towards the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). On the way, as he is wont to do, he stopped in at the Pews Co-operative Inc in Merrickville and the Shepherd’s Green Co-op Homes Inc. in Brockville.
The Pews is a 2024 newly-established consumer co-operative, that serves as a community hub and event space. The co-operative converted an iconic church building in the historic village of Merrickville-Wolford, officially dubbed Canada’s Most Beautiful Village by Communities in Bloom, located an hour South of Ottawa. The multi-purpose facility has diverse offerings, from Kung Fu Lite, Music recordings and songwriters’ Circle offerings, as well as special event, community kitchen and office spaces. The Pews defines itself as a place where community and creativity come together and would be a great place to stop in for the upcoming Christmas market.
Established in 1991, Shepherd’s Green is a 30-unit mixed housing co-operative that includes both (lower than the actual) market housing (16) and rent-geared-to-income (14) townhouses and apartments, the latter of which are filled in collaboration with the Social Housing Registry. It also includes two units specifically designed for persons with a disability. It should be noted that Shepherds Green leadership is very proud to be on the verge of paying off their mortgage in 2027!
Dan’s time North of Toronto served two distinct purposes, prepare for Congress 2026 and participate in the opening of the new headquarters of Gay Lea Foods Co-operative.
On the evening of November 5, Dan broke bread with York University Professor Dr. John Simoulidis and Ph.D. candidate Kacie Hopkins to discuss a gathering of the Canadian Association for Studies in Co-operation in June 2026, preceeding the CMC Congress.
The following day, Dan was joined at the York University Campus by William Prest, a member of Canada’s Emerging Co-operators Committee and a Financial Controller / Compliance Officer at the Oshawa Community Credit Union, also for Congress planning purposes.
YES – SAVE THE DATE!
Its official, the 2026 CMC Congress will take place at York University, which is easily accessible by public transportation and close to the Toronto-Pearson International Airport. On June 8, various affinity groups will gather to advance their respective agenda and share best practices, whereas June 9 will be a one-day Congress and awards gala, with June 10 being the CMC AGM in the morning and tours in the afternoon. Please save the dates and keep an eye out for more information that will be released in the coming weeks and months. If you have any questions about the new format, affinity group gatherings, congress content, sponsorship opportunities and such, please contact Daniel Brunette directly at dbrunette@canada.coop.
On November 6, Dan was please to represent CMC at the Grand Opening Event of the new Gay Lea Foods Co-operative Ltd. Home Office in Etobicoke. Attended by industry leaders, government partners and community champions, the event and related tours showcased an amazing space designed to foster collaboration, a sense of community and an investment in the continued growth of a proud Canadian dairy farmer-owned co-operative. Dan is pictured here with Quintin Fox, Director, Learning and Development at Gay Lea (and former Canada Co-operative Association team member), Ed Danen (Gay Lea Board member) and Don Dietrich (Gay Lea and CMC Board member), as well as Jennifer Ross from the Ontario Co-op Association.
For trivia buffs, especially those intending to attend the aforementioned CMC Congress, it is suggested that you make a mental note that Gay Lea stands for “Happy Meadow”…
Lastly, Dan had the privilege of participating and speaking at the Canadian Worker Co-op Federation (CWCF) Conference that took place 18-20 November in Edmonton, with the theme Worker Co-ops Build a Better World: Democracy, Diversity and Justice.
Dan presented an overview of the broader Canadian co-operative movement and answered questions, alongside the CWCF Executive Director Hazel Corcoran, who did a deeper dive on the 350-strong worker co-op segment across the country.
The Conference also include the CWCF AGM as well as a visit of the famed Multicultural Health Brokers Co-operative (MCHB). Formally established in 1998, the co-operative now has more than 100 worker-members. A true pioneer in cultural brokering, the members serve 23 cultural/language communities and help bridge the gap between newcomers and the Canadian society where they now live. The work of the co-operative focuses on health and social issues faced by immigrant and refugee families.
Photo credit: Marcus Peters, SEIZE
While in Edmonton, Dan also took the opportunity to connect over breakfast with CMC colleague Yousra Kabbani, Manager Finance and Administration on the 18 November and Corinne Remple, Executive Director of the Alberta community and Co-operative Association (ACCA) on 20 November, prior to the start of the CWCF conference days. On the evening of 20 November, Dan was a guest of Parallèle Alberta’s Executive Director Étienne Alary, at an event in collaboration with the Fondation Fernando-Girard en économie, to award post-secondary bursaries to Franco-Albertan students. The ACCA and Parralèle Alberta are, respectively, the anglophone and francophone members of CMC’s network of provincial and territorial associations.
If Dan is travelling to your area, you might get a call for a quick visit. If you would like to proactively encourage him to stop in during his many travels, do not hesitate to reach out to him at dbrunette@canada.coop, so the story of your own co-operative or mutual can be featured.