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Co-operative News Briefs
Co-operative News Briefs, an electronic newsletter of the Canadian Co-operative Association, is published every two weeks and distributed by e-mail. It is available free of charge to anyone with an e-mail address and an interest in co-operative developments in Canada and around the world.

• HELP CHOOSE THE GREATEST CANADIAN CO-OPERATOR!
  
  Hockey players, rock stars and even scientists have a Hall of Fame: why not co-operators?
   
  In celebration of the Canadian Co-operative Association's 100th anniversary, the CCA is creating a virtual Canadian Co-operative Hall of Fame, which will honour co-operators past, present, and future for their contribution to Canada's co-operative movement. 
   
  The Hall of Fame, which will be housed on the CCA website, will be launched at the 2009 Congress in June, and will feature the induction of the Greatest Canadian Co-operator. This honour will be bestowed upon a deceased individual who was fundamental in shaping co-operation in Canada. Members of the Canadian co-operative community and the general public will be able to visit the CCA web site in the New Year to nominate an individual who has made a significant historical contribution to the Canadian co-operative movement. All nominations must be received by Monday, February 16; once nominations have closed, the CCA Anniversary Committee will identify up to 10 candidates who meet the nomination criteria. On March 6,the list of the top nominees will be posted on the CCA web site, and you will have an opportunity to vote for the Greatest Canadian Co-operator until the end of April.
   
  In addition to the winner and nominees for Greatest Canadian Co-operator, the Hall of Fame will also become home to all past and future recipients of the CCA's two awards for living co-operators, the Canadian Co-operative Achievement Award and the Global Co-operator Award. Nominations for the 2009 awards close on January 31.
   
  For additional information about the Greatest Canadian Co-operator and the Canadian Co-operative Achievement Award, contact Tanya Gracie , 613-238-6711 ext. 243.  For information about the Global Co-operator Award, contact Heather Staffa, at 613-238-6711, ext. 246.
• CDI RENEWAL CAMPAIGN CONTINUES DURING PARLIAMENTARY BREAK
  Canada's national co-op associations are taking advantage of the suspension of Parliament to step up their lobbying campaign to renew the Co-operative Development Initiative (CDI).   The Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) and the Conseil canadien de la cooperation et de la mutualité (CCCM) have asked provincial co-op associations to continue the campaign in their provinces by undertaking activities such as meeting face-to-face with Members of Parliament while they are in their ridings in December and January. CCA and CCCM have also suggested that co-ops that have received funding from Advisory Services, Innovation and Research or the value-added agricultural co-op program (Ag-CDI) contact their local MP and explain how the CDI program has helped them.
  CDI is a federal government program that provides support for new and emerging co-ops. The program, which has been funded by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada for the past six years, is scheduled to expire in March 2009.
  CCA and CCCM are continuing to encourage all co-op members and supporters to write to Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, as well as to their Members of Parliament, to encourage the renewal of CDI.  The next session of Parliament is expected to begin on January 26, 2009 with the introduction of a new federal budget. For more information about CDI, as well as tools to  allow you to look up and e-mail your MP,  Agriculture Minister Ritz or Finance Minister Flaherty,  visit the CCA's CDI web site at www.coopscanada.coop/cdi.
• NEW ETHANOL PLANT OPENS, LARGEST CO-OP START-UP IN CANADIAN HISTORY
  Canada's first ethanol co-operative will officially open its doors in Aylmer, Ontario on December 17, marking a day of great pride for residents of the region. It has taken Integrated Grain Processors Co-operative (IGPC) six years to complete the many stages of planning and fundraising required for the 150-million-litre per year plant, which has created 35 new jobs in the heart of what was once Ontario's tobacco belt.  IGPC was profiled in a case study as part of the Agricultural Co-operative Development Initiatiave. The program, financially supported by Agriculture and Agri-food Canada and co-managed by the Canadian Co-operative Association and le Conseil Canadien de la Coopération, in partnership with the Co-operatives Secretariat, aims to create sustainable livelihoods for Canadian farmers by helping develop biofuel and other value-added agricultural co-operatives.
• ESTABLISHED CO-OPS SHARE KNOWLEDGE AT THE SECOND ANNUAL AG-CDI CONFERENCE
  Nearly 60 farmer members of new value-added agricultural co-ops were educated and inspired at the 2nd annual conference of the Agricultural Co-op Development Initiative (Ag-CDI), held in Montreal on November 27-28. 
   
  The conference was a key part of the Ag-CDI program, which provides new agricultural co-ops with technical assistance funding and educational support.  All speaker presentations from the conference will soon be available at www.coopzone.coop/Ag-CDI_Conference_2008.
• KELDERMAN NAMED TO NOVA SCOTIA PREMIER'S ECONOMIC ADVISORY PANEL
  Nova Scotia Co-operative Council Executive Director Dianne Kelderman has been appointed by Nova Scotia Premier Rodney MacDonald to his new Economic Advisory Panel. The 14-member group is made up of business leaders from across the province, and will meet quarterly for the next two years. The panel will provide feedback, information and advice on general economic conditions in Nova Scotia and around the world, including trends and opportunities. The first meeting will be held in January.
• NOVA SCOTIANS HAVE POSITIVE PERCEPTION OF CO-OPS: OPINION POLL
  

  A public opinion survey commissioned by the