By LORNE ECKERSLEY
For complete article, click here.
“A wonderful starting point for the potential of a vibrant new industry in our community,” is how Carmen Rockwell-Hoover describes a recently announced Co-operative Development Initiative program grant.
Rockwell-Hoover is co-ordinating a study conducted by Greenheart Herbal Society to determine the viability of a herb growers’ co-operative in the Creston Valley.

Crown Corp Fronted Energy Minister's Hotel Tab
BC Hydro billed ministry for Lekstrom's Olympic room after Tyee inquiry.
By Andrew MacLeod, Today, TheTyee.ca

 
The Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources ministry received a bill from B.C. Hydro for five nights Minister Blair Lekstrom spent in a Vancouver hotel during the 2010 Winter Olympics, but not until nine days after The Tyee asked why the Crown corporation was paying for the minister's stay.

They're Recharging Democracy
These groups start at the community level, and you're invited.
By Murray Dobbin, Today, TheTyee.ca

LE BUDGET BACHAND EN RUPTURE AVEC LA SOCIAL-DÉMOCRATIE, INACCEPTABLE POUR LA PLUPART DES CITOYENS
par BENOÎT LÉVESQUE, MARILYSE LAPIERRE, MICHEL DORÉ, YVES VAILLANCOURT
7 avril 2010 Article publié dans: | Délibération publique

Pour l'article complet, clic ici
 

Edmonton wants task force to deal with panhandlers
By CLARA HO, CITY HALL BUREAU

The city proposes to establish an integrated team of police officers, business associations, and social service agencies to curb the panhandling problem in Edmonton, according to a report.
The team will be responsible for increasing the presence of outreach workers from the Boyle Street Community Services and working to gain the trust of panhandlers.

CANADA´S SOCIAL SAFETY NET IS FRAYING, CITIES STRAIN TO FILL THE GAPS SAYS NEW REPORT FROM FCM

This 30-page document produced by the Canadian Co-operative Association features a collection of profiles that provide examples of how Canadians have used the co-operative model in innovative ways.  It shows that, far from being powerless, we can, through co-operation, forge new futures for ourselves, our communities and our country. Click here to find the document.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HOLDS CO-OP POLICY FORUM
More than 40 co-op leaders, consultants and social enterprise experts from across Canada gathered in Ottawa on March 23-24 to talk to the federal government about policies and programs in support of co-operatives.  
"Towards 2012: Building a Conducive Environment for Co-operatives" was the first in a series of dialogues organized by the government's Co-operatives Secretariat aimed at shaping federal policy and setting the stage for the 2012 International  Year of Co-operatives.
 

Liberals make big plans for something called 'the social economy'
Kelly McParland, Canadian politics

Apparently Stephen Harper has been letting down the social economy.
I have to confess I'm not very familiar with the social economy. I assume it's different than the economic economy, but to be honest I'm just guessing. I'd never even heard the term until I came across it on the Liberal party web site, which declares that the party is working, beaverlike, to develop it.