Mr. Speaker, in my capacity as federal minister responsible for co-operatives, I wish to take the opportunity today to recognize and salute National Co-Operative Week and International Credit Union Day in Canada.
Since pioneer times Canadians have found it beneficial to work together toward common goals. The co-operative movement springs from that community effort and involvement.
An important part of our economy, co-ops provide over 133,000 jobs and represent more than $140 billion in assets. Non-financial co-operatives have a volume of business of $20.7 billion. Together, caisse populaire and credit unions represent the fifth largest financial network in Canada.
This year is important for the international co-operative movement, as it marks the 100th anniversary of the International Co-operative Alliance. The ICA represents more than 753 million members from 90 countries. The conference held in Manchester in September was a major event for the international co-operative movement. Revised co-operation principles were adopted that will propel co-ops into the 21st century. In this respect, I think that it would be proper to pay special tribute to Ian MacPherson, from British Columbia, who spearheaded the process.
Co-operatives are an effective way of providing a wide range of goods and services to their members and to consumers. While many co-operatives operate in urban centres, they have been especially effective in developing businesses and creating employment in rural areas and small communities.
Through co-operation, many Canadians have established new businesses and expanded into new or unique ventures. For example, the Seaway Valley Farmers Energy Co-operative in eastern Ontario will produce ethanol from locally grown grains.
Involvement in co-operatives has helped many thousands of individuals learn new business and management skills which not only help them to manage their co-operatives but also gives them the skills to better manage their own enterprises and allows them to grow and expand.
I want to mention how committed our young people are to the co-operative approach. Students have started co-ops in their schools to provide services in areas such as savings, housing, school supplies and computing science and, in some instances, to create summer jobs for themselves.
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I urge all members, in our deliberations today and on every other occasion, to consider the potential of co-operation as a tool to help the country to continue to be a nation that is innovative, dynamic and proud of its accomplishments.
From my home province of Saskatchewan in the west where our people demonstrate a high level of participation in co-operative organizations to Quebec, which also enjoys a high level of co-operative activity, the co-op movement is one very important bond of strength and unity.
I congratulate the Canadian co-operative movement on its achievements and wish it much success in the years to come.