The Modern Co-Op Movement: an Interview With Peter Cameron, Part Three

This is the final part of my conversation with Peter Cameron. It's about how co-ops are fairing in Guelph, Ontario, and, the world. It's also about the future of co-ops.

Cloudwalking Owl · Coops In Guelph And Mutuals

I'm often a bit surprised about what people think about the co-op businesses in our midst. Just the other day I mentioned the Co-Operators and a close friend said he thought that it wasn't a co-op anymore. "It's just a big business, isn't it?" I double checked, and yes, it certainly is a big---but it's still a co-op. From their website:

The Co-operators Group Limited is a leading Canadian multi-line insurance and financial services co-operative with $47.3 billion in assets under management. Our subsidiary companies provide solutions in four core areas: property and casualty (P&C) insurance, life insurance, institutional asset management and brokerage operations. We are supported by 6,249 employees and a dedicated financial advisor network with 2,530 licensed insurance representatives throughout Canada. We also serve 241 credit unions with more than 5.8 million members.

It happens to be the 9th largest insurance company in Canada (Dejardins---the Quebec based credit union---is 6th). (I dare say that it provides a lot of property tax for the city.)

In my case I had no idea that "Mutuals" were co-op insurance companies. I was very much surprised by this, and also the size of Cambridge's Gore Mutual: $475 in annual premiums, and, $1.1 billion in assets.  

I was also surprised by the fact that there are 45 Mutual insurance co-ops in Ontario alone.

 

Cloudwalking Owl · Present State And New Opportunities For Coops

I found an academic paper titled Economic Impact of the Co-operative Sector in Canada by Dr. Fiona Duguid and George Karaphillis that had been commissioned by Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada. It basically says the same thing as Peter---Co-ops are doing well in terms of increased membership (13.3% from 2010 to 2015), assets (42%) and business (20.9%), but the number of co-ops is shrinking (-5.9%) due to consolidation.  

If you look up the International Co-operative Alliance you'll find a wealth of information about the international co-operative movement. Pretty much at random, I came up with the following chart that lists the top world co-ops and their annual revenue in US dollars. ("Turnover" is the word that is used instead of "Revenue" in Europe and Asia.) Seven of the top ten are in Europe, with the other three being split between the USA, Japan, and, Korea.

(Sorry about the quality, but that's what they had in their "press kit".)

If you are wondering about Peter's reference to Mondragon Province in Spain, here's a little YouTube blurb about the place. It comes from 2014, but it identifies all the key features.

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Until I got involved in free lance writing---decades ago---I naively believed that reporters dug up new information and exposed it to the public. That's not actually true. There is no such thing as "new information", there's just info that a few people know, but most don't. Even stories as wild as the leaks we've had from Edward Snowden, Chelsea Manning, and, the Panama Papers weren't about secrets that no one knew about, instead they were things that a large number of people (ie: computer security professionals, soldiers who served in Iraq, and, tax lawyers) already knew about. The key issue isn't absolute secrecy, instead it was about keeping "the ignorant rubes" (ie: voters) from finding out what is really going on.

I believe that is an important point. When I write these stories I'm not finding out deep, dark secrets hidden from everyone. Instead, what I'm trying to do is point out to the general public the truth "hiding in plain sight" and encapsulate it in language that will stick in people's minds to inform the way they vote. 

This is an important thing in a democracy, and that's why it is work that people of good will (and adequate means) should be willing to support. That's why I ask people to subscribe on Patreon or Pay Pal. (If you don't want to make an on-going commitment, it's perfectly find to make a one time payment too---thanks for being so awesome Cornelius!---but that can only be done through Pay Pal.)   

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Cloudwalking Owl · Mountain Equipment Co

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There are a lot of different aspects of our economic system that are increasingly making less and less sense. Peter mentions the for-profit long term care home system---which is certainly one part of that. But there's a lot else beyond that. There are business models for large, emergent industries that are based on using modern technology to burn through people. Uber, much of the emerging delivery system, the entire "gig economy", etc, aren't really a whole lot more than just a small number of capitalists using Artificial Intelligence and the World Wide Web to create a whole new class of desperate "techno serfs" who are forced to work for less than minimum wage under the fiction that they are "independent contractors". If ever there was a situation ripe for the creation of co-operative businesses, this is it. 

Another case that where co-ops could be tremendously useful is the news business. It used to be that there had to be an enormous infrastructure behind a local newspaper: printers, distributors, the advertising department, and, the editorial staff. But the printers and delivery system are all done by computer now. Advertising still exists, but truth be told, almost all the money goes into the hands of the tech giants---so it is no longer part of any serious funding model. That leaves journalists seeking subscriptions. Why exactly do journalists need to have owners and publishers anymore if the job of printing and delivering the news can all be done with a second-hand computer and an ISP? 

To that end, I've often thought that the various people in Guelph who are interested in independent media should consider forming a local news co-operative. I know a couple folks besides me who are trying to eke out a living through being independent journalists. This isn't sustainable. I think it would make perfect sense to form a co-operative and see if a better, more financially viable system can be created that will inform the citizens of Guelph. If anyone is interested, why not get in touch? 

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Moreover I say unto you, the Climate Emergency must be dealt with!