Special Committee on Cooperatives committee  Ultimately, people don't buy our products because we're a co-op. Being a co-op is like a value-add, together with our sustainability, environmental programs, and other values that may be dear to our members. We're not going to succeed as an enterprise unless the products and th

Special Committee on Cooperatives committee  You touched on an issue that's very dear to my heart, and I'm committed to trying to increase member engagement around the election piece. One of the things we do need to do is to make sure we have a much better grasp of members' e-mail addresses, to get them that way. We're lo

Special Committee on Cooperatives committee  You still can join. It's a lifetime membership.

Special Committee on Cooperatives committee  What happens is that at the end of each year, the surplus we have is apportioned as a patronage return in proportion to the amount of business each member has done in the co-op during that year. People don't get that money in their hands, because under our rules, our members have

Special Committee on Cooperatives committee  I think beyond what we've presented to the committee, we don't have any further requests or questions.

Special Committee on Cooperatives committee  Worldwide membership.

Special Committee on Cooperatives committee  I'll defer to Margie, because I've only been working at Mountain Equipment Co-op for just over a month. She knows more of the history than I do.

Special Committee on Cooperatives committee  REI is another co-op.

Special Committee on Cooperatives committee  I do have that figure for you, if you will hold on one second. I don't know how many are not Canadian, but we have about 130,000 members located in the U.S., and about 277,000 located outside Canada.

Special Committee on Cooperatives committee  That's an interesting question, and I'm afraid not one I know the answer to. So far it has not been a problem.

Special Committee on Cooperatives committee  Yes, I will.

Special Committee on Cooperatives committee  Absolutely.

Special Committee on Cooperatives committee  It's an incredible number, yes.

Special Committee on Cooperatives committee  It's a lifetime membership.

Special Committee on Cooperatives committee  Yes. We don't have records of that, although people can apply—