In July, Dan Brunette took advantage of his well-deserved vacation to visit the Coop de solidarité en soins de santé Thurso, in Quebec. This multi-stakeholder cooperative provides local healthcare services to the Thurso community and surrounding areas. Located across from the statue of legendary Montreal Canadiens player Guy Lafleur, the cooperative is a partner of the newly formed Caisse Desjardins de la Petite-Nation et du Lièvre, which was created on January 1, 2025, following the merger of two regional caisses. This new entity serves six communities located in the beautiful Petite-Nation and Lièvre River regions.
He also attended an event at the Courges et Cie bistro, a family-run agri-food and agrotourism farm located in Gatineau, and a producer member of the Marché de l’Outaouais (a solidarity cooperative). CMC invites you to discover these cooperatives and their products, whether for your events or everyday purchases. CMC also highlights that Agrobio and La Siembra have received support from the Investment Readiness Program.
On the Ontario side, Dan visited Embrun, a community with a strong cooperative culture, anchored by the Embrun Co-op, a local economic pillar for over 80 years. With its six divisions (crops, grain silos, feed, energy, AGTREK, hardware and grocery), the co-op is at the heart of this Francophone community of over 6,000 residents and the surrounding farming villages.
He also visited the Coopérative Hydro Embrun Inc., a collective enterprise that provides electricity to 2,700 residents, businesses, and local organizations. Notably, it was the only utility to incorporate rather than sell off following the passage of Ontario’s Electricity Act in 2000. It remains the sole electricity provider in the historic sector known as the “Police Village,” a designation dating back to the 1850s used when population density did not justify the creation of a municipal council.
From July 8 to 11, the International Cooperative Alliance Committee on Co-operative Research (ICA CCR) held its 5th Global Research Conference in Montreal. Researchers, practitioners, and policymakers from around the world took part in this flagship event, organized by the Alphonse and Dorimène Desjardins International Institute for Cooperatives (IICADD), in collaboration with the Canadian Association for Studies in Co-operation (CASC) and the Association of Cooperative Educators (ACE).
Dan had the honour of accepting the John Logue Award, presented by the Association of Cooperative Educators (ACE), on behalf of the CoopZone Developers’ Network Co-operative (CoopZone). This prestigious award recognizes CoopZone’s outstanding commitment to the promotion, development, and education of co-operatives across Canada. CoopZone’s ongoing contribution to the cooperative movement—particularly through its support for developers and emerging co-ops—was proudly highlighted during the award presentation.
The ICA CCR Global Research Conference also included a joint dinner during which several awards and distinctions were formally presented. Among them were the recipients of the Ian MacPherson Legacy Fund and the CASC scholarship winners. These awards are coordinated by CMC. The evening served as an opportunity to recognize the dedication and excellence of researchers and students who actively contribute to the advancement of the cooperative movement.
Committee Selection Member, Dr Darryl Reed
Nous sommes impatients de poursuivre ces collaborations et de continuer à faire progresser les coopératives et mutuelles partout au pays.
Vous voulez voir Daniel dans votre ville bientôt pour que votre coopérative soit mise en vedette ? Communiquez avec lui pour savoir quand il passera dans votre province ou territoire afin que vous puissiez figurer dans un prochain numéro des Dan en cavale ! Envoyez-lui un courriel à l’adresse suivante : dbrunette@canada.coop.