Alternative Economic Development in Canada

¶ … Canadian economic system is a free market system. Most economic development in Canada follows the free market module.

The required paper is to find two articles about two different developments that are alternative to the status quo of the free market. Co-op would be an example of such development. Involving workers in decision making would be another example.

Kennedy, E (2012) Will the Government Co-operate With Canada's Co-ops? Huff Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/emily-kennedy/international-year-of-the-coop_b_1629124.html

Kennedy (2012) explains what a co-op is and describes its benefit to the Canadian government whilst concluding that co-ops are currently undergoing economic difficulties. The article is topical in that the week marked a convention of Co-op leaders from across Canada who was marking the United Nations International Year of Co-operatives, under the theme of "Co-operative Enterprises Build a Better World."

Recent months also saw the Canadian government trying to promote the concept of co-ops by appointing MP Mauril Belanger as the Liberal Advocate for Co-operatives in May and by establishing the creation of the special committee on co-operatives earlier that week.

Cooperatives first introduced themselves in Canada in the 1800s and are distinguished from conventional business structures in that they focus on the good of the members as opposed to profit and are known for their democratic structure of one-member, one-vote. Many see co-ops as not just an alternative business model but also "a strong element of social cohesion."

Unfortunately, at the time when the article was written, the special committee on co-ops was going through a difficult period due to the federal government's budget cuts. Advocates of co-ops argue that government interest in coops and assisting them economically will have a positive outcome on the country as a whole since co-ops promote social cohesion and "social cohesion is the responsibility of all of us, including governments. The less social tensions you have, the better off we all are, the better off the country is."

The article ends on an optimistic note concluding that hopefully events such as the joint Congress in Montreal, the International Summit in Quebec City, MP Mauril Belanger's new role and the special committee on co-ops will improve the economic climate for co-ops. The result, she believes would be a better world.

Article Two: Peter Strozniak (January 22, 2013) Three Credit Unions in Canada Plan To Merge by July. Credit Union Times

http://www.cutimes.com/2013/01/22/three-credit-unions-in-canada-plan-to-merge-by-jul

Three credit unions - Affinity Credit Union, Advantage Credit Union and Spectra Credit Union -- are intending to merge by July under the name of Affinity Credit Union becoming one of the ten largest credit unions in Canada.

Credit unions differ from conventional initiatives in that they are member-owned financial cooperatives, that, similar to cooperatives, are democratically controlled by its members, and conducted for the purpose of promoting thrift, providing credit at competitive rates, and providing other financial services to its members. Many credit unions also provide a positive outcome to the community in that they support community development or provide some other sustainable project. This is a part of their outcome.