English – Page 18 – Canadian CED Network

This is a test. And like any good test, it lays bare both our strengths and our weaknesses. Here’s how we’re measuring up so far…

This crisis had revealed some real, critical problems with our society. Collapse of the global economic system seems possible, if not likely. Those living with poverty and homelessness are more vulnerable to both the virus itself and the social and economic upheaval that will follow. Employers’ inadequate sick leave and family leave policies mean that some people have choose between going to work sick, potentially infecting others, and putting food on their tables. Furthermore, the recent shift towards precarious work and household debt levels threaten families’ economic stability in a COVID-19 world. School closures have brought to light food insecurity faced by many children and families, which is also threatened by tighter borders and shortages, whether real or perceived. To make matters worse, those in domestic violence or abusive situations could be at greater risk because of close confinement with their abusers.

BUT, before you go bury yourself in a despair-filled hole, there’s some good news. We are doing well, in a lot of ways. We care about our neighbours. We are showing that the strength and resiliency of our communities comes from the people in them. Care-mongering is now a thing, thanks to some ordinary Torontonians. Social media feeds are full of memes and pleas urging everyone to stay home to protect the elderly, the vulnerable, the doctors and nurses, and the health care system. And people are doing it. Our public health officials, doctors, and nurses are going above and beyond to help keep us all safe and healthy. Not just them but workers of all kinds – grocery store clerks, truckers, postal worker, cleaners, delivery drivers. These are the people going out into the suddenly scary world every day to make sure that we have provisions to meet our daily needs. Our dedicated public servants have adapted to a new reality, and are ready to be redeployed to areas of greatest need. Manufacturers, too, are pivoting their operations quickly to meet the demand for supplies such as hand sanitizers and ventilators. Small local businesses are doing their best to protect their employees, keep their businesses afloat, and meet community needs. Technology is helping many of us work and study from home and connect with loved ones near and far. Our leaders (in Canada anyway) are showing that they have our backs, by putting partisanship aside and working together for the common good. And through it all, sheer human ingenuity is carrying the day – from parents entertaining small children in enclosed spaces to doctors rigging up ventilators for use by more than one patient at a time.

So, there is reason to hope. We will get through this. When all is said and done, and we start down the road to economic and social recovery, let’s build on our strengths: neighbours & communities, workers, committed public servants, local businesses, and human ingenuity. And let’s use those strengths as a springboard to shore up our weaknesses – poverty, homelessness, food insecurity, and domestic violence. These problems can all be solved, if we work together.

When all is said and done, let’s rebuild our economy in a way that puts people and communities first. And let’s do it together.
When all is said and done, just imagine how resilient we’ll be.

*The opinions expressed in blog posts are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of CCEDNet

Thank you.

In the face of crises, communities are always first responders. We see you working tirelessly from the grassroots — both organizing to provide for urgent needs at the local level while also naming and challenging deeply rooted structural inequities that are being laid bare.

Community is our strength in navigating the uncertainties of these emergent times. We know that every one of us has something to offer. And everyone has needs that require fulfillment.

These days call for our courage and creativity in equal measure. We can help each other get through what was previously unimaginable. We have radically re-imagined our communities before and we will do so again, this time, with dignity for all and future economies that serve communities and the planet.

The community economic development (CED) world has been doing this work for a long time, and as today’s pressing needs and urgencies subside, the sector’s brilliant models will be ripe examples for societal rebuilding.

We’d love to hear your stories right now. How are you pulling together? What does mutual aid and community economic development look like for you right now? Where are you experiencing systems gaps and failings, which can guide CCEDNet’s policy work?

Share your stories with us! Send us an email or post to social media using the hashtag #CEDStrongerTogether. We will collect and share back what we hear.

CCEDNet’s staff continues to work from our respective homes during this stretch, and welcomes you to reach us by email and to stay connected.

When we advocate for those most vulnerable and marginalized, collectively we can challenge the systems that perpetuate greed and create inequities. When we come together at the most human level, tiny gestures of great love can transform lives.

Thank you for the important part you play and the gifts you bring to our shared work of creating vibrant, resilient and sustainable local economies. We are always stronger together.

In solidarity and love,
CCEDNet Team

P.S. We have collected a CCEDNet Care Package here for you, full of resources for strengthening connections.

“Our budget capitalizes on advantages such as publicly-owned Manitoba Hydro and Efficiency Manitoba, our strong social economy sector, local business acumen, and dynamic economic development strategies emerging in First Nations like Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, to show how a Green New Deal could roll out in Manitoba. We have all the elements we need; all that’s required is government leadership to put them together. ….

“The strength of our budget is the way the recommendations in one area complement those in others. Training and investment for the North are rooted in community economic development and environmental principles that support our Green New Deal strategy and agriculture section. Our food security recommendations support the universal meal program in our K-12 education section.”

–Lynne Fernandez, editor – Change Starts Here: Manitoba Alternative Provincial Budget 2020

“CED is a community-led approach rooted in the Neechi Principles that creates economic opportunities while enhancing social and environmental conditions. …

“Economic development in Manitoba would be stronger, more resilient, and more inclusive with an alternative CED approach that builds local economies, strengthens local community ownership, distributes profits equitably, and is focused on an inclusive approach to growth and employment, particularly for marginalized communities that face disproportionate poverty and unemployment rates.”

–Michael Barkman – from the Community Economic Development chapter in Change Starts Here: Manitoba Alternative Provincial Budget 2020

Budgeting for alternatives rooted in CED

Last week, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives – Manitoba office released Change Starts Here: Manitoba Alternative Provincial Budget 2020 – an exciting presentation of ideas & proposals authored by numerous volunteer contributors that address some of the big issues facing our province, like poverty, the climate crisis, and improving the well-being of all Manitobans.

Read a quick summary here!

Many of the big ideas and solutions that members of the Canadian CED Network Manitoba (CCEDNet Manitoba) are already practicing in our communities are at the heart of the Alternative Provincial Budget 2020 (APB). In Change Starts Here, Community Economic Development is articulated as an approach to strengthen Manitoba’s economy in urban, rural, and northern communities, to reduce inequality & poverty, and to support a Green New Deal strategy. The role of social economy enterprises such as cooperatives, credit unions, and social enterprises as well as community-based organizations and nonprofits in this approach is essential.

In Change Starts Here, many CCEDNet Manitoba policy resolutions are articulated within a broader presentation of how Manitoba could budget for people, planet, and prosperity. CCEDNet Manitoba’s public policy mandate is the result of a democratic process. Every year, members work together to create a pragmatic, wide-ranging and solutions-focused set of public policy resolutions.

Current Context

On March 11, 2020, the Manitoba government will announce Budget 2020. To aid this process, CCEDNet Manitoba contributed ideas to the public consultation process for Budget 2020. Read our entire budget submission here. The ideas submitted to the province align with the chapters submitted by CCEDNet Manitoba to Change Starts Here.

The links below include a quick summary of the ideas and policy solutions articulated by the Network in both Change Starts Here and in our 2020 provincial budget submission. It is our community vision for Manitoba’s Budget 2020.

Community Economic Development & A Stronger Economy
Economic Inclusion
Stronger, Healthier, Safer Communities: Community-Led Development

Last week, the province publicized the mandate letters to Manitoba cabinet ministers penned by the Premier. These letters indicate the direction and priorities of the government, and many intersect with what’s going on in the Manitoba Community Economic Development sector. Stay tuned for a deeper analysis of these letters, how Manitoba’s Budget 2020 will interact with these categories, and any important next steps.

Watch for a CCEDNet budget analysis later this week.

Community Economic Development & A Stronger Economy

Given the possibilities of CED to strengthen local economies, government should play a crucial role in setting the conditions for CED. Considering its strong outcomes and results, the infrastructure to support CED is under-resourced. Strengthening the sector would lead to positive results for the entire economy.

CCEDNet Manitoba’s chapter in Change Starts Here as well as our submission to the provincial budget consultation focuses on supporting CED enterprises and economic growth. Our recommendations boost Manitoba’s economic potential, create jobs, reduce poverty through key economic activities, address climate change through a CED approach, and strengthen local, fair economies.

Recommendations:

Adopt a provincial CED Policy Framework & Lens, including its use as a framework for a Green New Deal
Develop a Manitoba Social Enterprise Strategy
Strengthen the co-op community and co-op development
Bolster business & enterprise support services for low-income and rural Manitobans
Explore innovative social finance options in partnership with the CED sector, including enhancing the CED Tax Credit

Economic Inclusion

Change Starts Here has a strong emphasis on addressing poverty through key investments and programs to strengthen social inclusion and equity. It increases the supply of social and affordable housing, reverses changes to Rent Assist, invests in childcare and food security, and converts Employment & Income Assistance to a Livable Basic Needs Benefit, in line with CCEDNet policy resolutions, as well as the work of Make Poverty History Manitoba and the Right to Hous

Following the appointment of the federal Cabinet in December, CCEDNet has sent letters to key Ministers with recommendations based on our Policy Priorities.

Read the letters sent to:

Hon. Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development
Hon. Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages

Supporting effective public policies that strengthen community economies is one of CCEDNet’s core roles. Find out more about CCEDNet’s National Policy Council or our policy work in Manitoba.

CCEDNet’s 2020 Annual General Meeting (AGM) will take place on…

June 11
10am – 11:30am Pacific, 11am – 12:30pm Mountain, 12pm – 1:30pm Central, 1pm – 2:30pm Eastern, 2pm – 3:30pm Atlantic, 2:30pm – 4pm Newfoundland

This year’s AGM repeats the success of the last five years by being entirely virtual and bilingual. Members are able to make motions, vote and comment in English or French, all from the comfort of their computer. This year, the AGM will be 90 minutes long.

For additional background information, you can consult CCEDNet’s by-laws.

AGM Documents

Meeting documents will be posted here as they become available.

AGM Resolutions

We are no longer accepting resolutions.

This year we received a resolution entitled Implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) from members Yvon Poirier of the Corporation de développement économique communautaire de Québec and Ryan Gibson.

Board Nominations

Nominations are now closed. This year, there were four vacancies to be filled. Four eligible nominations were received, leading our Elections Officer to declare the candidates elected by acclamation. Meet the new board members.

Registation is now closed

Exciting policy progress at the City of Winnipeg

Last week, the City announced a Request for Proposals for a food service provider at City Hall, including 20% of the evaluation criteria on Community and Environment Benefits – possible considerations include advancing reconciliation, training & jobs for people with barriers to employment, addressing poverty & homelessness, using local & sustainable food sourcing, a zero waste strategy, and more. Read all the possibilities here.

A positive step for Social Procurement

Social Procurement is a policy tool to leverage positive social, environmental, and economic outcomes from government purchasing. This is a sign of progress on this innovative approach at the City of Winnipeg. While not only fulfilling the procurement need of having a food provider at City Hall, the RFP incentivizes bidders to include social and environmental outcomes in their proposals. The language included in this contract is an example of policy that could get greater value and community impact through municipal procurement dollars.

This RFP comes during the same time when a group of CCEDNet Manitoba social enterprise members and allied organizations – calling ourselves the We Want to Work coalition – have been collaborating to encourage the city to adopt social procurement policies throughout its projects. So, this news is encouraging!

Currently, Mother Earth Recycling, an Indigenous-owned social enterprise, has a contract with the city to recycle mattresses from Brady Landfill, while providing training and employment for people with multiple barriers to employment.

Our goal is to boost the use of social procurement at the city level through direct purchasing from social enterprises and Community Benefits Agreements for large projects – so that economic, social, and environmental outcomes can be achieved simultaneously and local communities benefit.

Want to get involved or show your support? Contact Michael Barkman (CCEDNet Manitoba Public Policy Coordinator): m.barkman [at] ccednet-rcdec.ca or call 204.943.0547.

Interested in the proposal?

For interested proponents, there will be an Open House at the site on March 5, 2020 between 2pm and 4pm
The RFP closes Tuesday, April 14, 2020 at 12pm

View bid documents

Learn more about Social Procurement Recommendations at the City of Winnipeg

Learn about the power of community benefits

February 18, 2020 – The Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNet) stands in solidarity with the Hereditary Chiefs, community members, and land defenders of Wet’suwet’en.

We recognize the sovereignty of the Wet’suwet’en Nation over these unceded lands and that all of the Hereditary Chiefs of the five Wet’suwet’en Clans have rejected the proposed TC Energy Coastal GasLink pipeline. We call on the RCMP to immediately stand down from Wet’suwet’en Territories.

The Canadian Government has committed to restoring relationships with Indigenous peoples. Indigenous title is protected by the Canadian Constitution and has been upheld by decisions of the Supreme Court of Canada. Both the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP – endorsed by Canada in 2016 and by BC in 2019) and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission affirm the fundamental principle of “Free, Prior and Informed Consent” not just of the elected band councils, but also of the clans and the Hereditary Chiefs. We call on federal and provincial governments to uphold UNDRIP in honouring the Wet’suwet’en Nation’s right to Free, Prior and Informed consent and negotiate with the Wet’suwet’en Nation on a true nation-to-nation basis.

With deep respect for Indigenous traditional knowledge, CCEDNet recognizes the inextricable links between extractive capitalism and colonialism, and advocates for economic levers for change that contribute to community and environmental well-being.

Wet’suwet’en people are standing up to protect the lands and waters and showing the world what it means to defend the future through democratic, participatory, and community-owned approaches. In doing so, they are also affirming sovereignty over the care and keeping of our common home – the original definition of ‘economy.’

Construction costs alone for the Coastal GasLink pipeline are estimated at $6.6 billion. This figure does not account for the expense of RCMP deployment; neither does it include the billions of dollars in subsidies that the Canadian government pays to the oil and gas industry every year.

A number of Wet’suwet’en First Nations have signed Impact Benefit Agreements and would derive economic opportunities important to their communities. But imagine if an equivalent investment was instead made in a just transition toward an ecological economy built through co-operation and decolonization. We would be able to address the climate crisis with the resources and urgency it demands, while ensuring access to vital community services and decent work.

In this era of climate crisis, it’s more important than ever for the decisions that impact communities to be rooted in local knowledge and led by communities. Wet’suwet’en land defenders are teaching us all how to stand up for an economic reality that honours the earth and all beings – prioritizing community well-being over corporate profits.

We call for investments to build a society where all people and communities, now and into the future, may experience a good quality of life. We call on our members, collaborators, friends, and allies to join in solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en Nation by condemning ongoing colonial violence against Indigenous people and communities, including forced removal, and by uplifting the voices and actions of land defenders and allies.

In solidarity,

The Canadian Community Economic Development Network

Want to understand the situation more deeply?

We encourage people to keep learning and doing their own research, and offer a few resources below:

Unist’ot’en Camp released a statement on the emerging situation on January 9 and again on February 10 and will continue to post updates here
The Office of the Wet’suwet’en and Unist’ot’en both provide detailed information on the nation’s Hereditary Chiefs and governance system
For analysis of Indigenous legal orders and hereditary governance systems more broadly, the Indigenous Law Research Unit at the University of Victoria hosts a wealth of resources on their website
A piece on the differences between elected and hereditary leadership (CBC)
The Wet’suwet’en, Aboriginal Title, and the Rule of Law: An Explainer (First People’s Law)
Second Wet’suwet’en hereditary subchief speaks out against protest leaders (Globe and Mail)
Putting the RCMP raid on the Wet’suwet’en in Historical Perspective (Toronto Star)
United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination resolution calling for a halt to Coastal GasLink construction

Want to find a way to offer support?

Donate:

to the Unist’ot’en Camp Legal Fund to support the Wet’suwet’en rights and title case
to the Gidimt’en Access Point
to the Office of the Wet’suwet’en by mailing a cheque to 205 Beaver Road, Suite #1 Smithers B.C. V0J 2N1

Explore the supporter toolkit: Unist’ot’en Camp has published the Wet’suwet’en Supporter Toolkit 2020

Follow Unist’ot’en: on Facebook and Twitter

Sign the pledge: Join thousands of organizations and individuals in signing the pledge in support of Unist’ot’en.

Contact Representatives:

This page has been set up so you can send an email directly to relevant Federal cabinet ministers and BC Provincial cabinet ministers calling on the RCMP and Coastal Gas Link to respect Unist’ot’en/Giltseyu-Dark House on their unceded lands.

Call provincial and federal ministers:

BC Premier John Horgan (250) 387-1715
Minister of Public Safety Mike Farnworth (250) 356-2178
Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Scott Fraser (250) 953-4844
Attorney General David Eby (250) 387-1866
MLA for Stikine (Wet’suwet’en Territory) and Forests Minister Doug Donaldson (250) 387-6240
Energy Minister Michelle Mungall (250) 953-0900
Prime Minister Trudeau (613) 992-4211
Federal Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations Carolyn Bennett (613) 995-9666
Find contact information for your provincial MLA and federal MP

With thanks to Unis’tot’en and the Sierra Club of BC, from which the additional resources above have been adapted.

CCEDNet Manitoba is pleased to help shape Manitoba’s 2020-21 provincial budget through our submission. Our briefing was sent last week to Minister of Finance Scott Fielding.

The submission involves eight recommendations under three themes:

Stronger Economy: Manitoba’s Economic Growth Action Plan
Economic Inclusion
Stronger, Healthier, Safer Communities: Community-Led Development

These are exciting recommendations as they contribute to key inter-related priorities:

Manitoba’s economic growth, jobs, and employment
Innovation in addressing challenging social issues
Achieving stronger outcomes on the interconnected issues of poverty, access to employment, recidivism, and number of children under the care of Child & Family Services

We believe these recommendations should be included in Budget 2020 because they are, in many instances, already working in communities.

Our members believe that when these solutions and the entire CCEDNet Manitoba Public Policy Road Map are scaled up, implemented, or enacted, they will serve to build fairer and stronger local economies & communities, reduce poverty & homelessness, and tackle climate change – ensuring a more sustainable & inclusive social, economic, and environmental future in Manitoba for all.

As members know, our public policy mandate is the result of a democratic decision-making process. Every year, members of CCEDNet Manitoba work together to create a pragmatic, wide-ranging and solutions-focused set of public policy resolutions. At our annual policy summit, members gather to discuss and ratify these ideas after completing consultations and drafting resolutions. This collective process allows for well-rounded discussions, and not only produces smart and helpful policy suggestions, but also increases the knowledge and skills of our Network.

Read the 2020/21 CCEDNet Manitoba Budget Submission here!

How You Can Get Involved

There are multiple ways to contribute to Manitoba Budget 2020/21, though time is running out! Visit engagemb.ca/Budget-2020 to share your views, including through:

Taking a survey
Creating and submitting your own budget
Emailing and submitting your ideas to ">

To learn more, or to find out how you can use this document to draft your own pre-budget submissions, contact Michael Barkman at or 204.943.0547.

CCEDNet Manitoba 2020/21 Recommendations

The three themes of our budget submission contribute to the stated priorities of the Manitoba government for Budget 2020.

Stronger Economy: Manitoba’s Economic Growth Action Plan focused on supporting CED enterprises and economic growth. It suggests recommendations for boosting Manitoba’s economic potential, creating jobs, reducing poverty through key economic activities, addressing climate change through a CED approach, and strengthening local, fair economies.
Economic Inclusion focuses on individual Manitobans, recommending key priorities to support inclusive employment opportunities for all Manitobans and boost support for fulfilling wraparound needs to address poverty.
Stronger, Healthier, Safer Communities: Community-Led Development includes recommendations related to government’s support for community-based organizations and non-profits that are leading the development of stronger and safer communities.

All three themes contribute in different ways to positive social outcomes such as reduced recidivism, child apprehension, access to employment and more. These outcomes in turn contribute to a reduction on spending in some departments such as Families, Health, and Justice.

Indigenous and Northern Initiatives Fund

Indigenous and Northern Initiatives Fund Grant Guide

Many charities and non-profits recognize that “business as usual” will not be sufficient in addressing complex social and environmental challenges. The systems we work in are changing quickly and it is important to have space and time to learn, reflect and test new kinds of practice that might lead to better social and environmental outcomes. To adapt to change and advance new approaches, we need to experiment in order to learn: testing new ideas on the ground, gathering or generating new evidence of what works and what does not, and sharing these results transparently and creatively so that promising approaches can be further developed and scaled.

In 2020, we will be offering grants designed to support Research and Development (R & D) activities in charities and non-profits, and to cultivate a culture of innovation by rewarding bold and rigorous experimentation. Along the way, individuals and organizations will develop new skills, create partnerships with unlikely allies, and strengthen capacity.

Innoweave is administering this granting opportunity as part of McConnell’s work on the Social R&D Ecosystem Mobilization Initiative, part of Employment and Social Development Canada’s Investment Readiness Program (IRP).

Available supports include grants (directly to successful applicants) and coaching.

Grants are being offered on two scales:

Up to $25,000 in grant support
Up to $100,000 in grant support (with a required $25,000 match)

To learn more, join our info session on December 12th, 1 pm ET.

Expressions of Interest for grants are due by January 5th.

Social R&D Coaches Needed!

Are you a consultant, leader or coach working in the Social R&D or innovation field? We are looking for coaches to accompany innovative organizations and offer design or process expertise, space for reflection, ‘critical friendship’ or feedback, or a discrete piece of research into their process. Learn more here.