Nunavik Coop celebrates 40 years
Nunavik co-op federation celebrates 40 years
Last Updated: Wednesday, May 23, 2007 | 12:52 PM CT
CBC News
A federation of Inuit co-operatives in northern Quebec is marking its 40th anniversary this year with a celebration and some prize draws for members.
La Fédération des Coopératives du Nouveau-Québec was formed in 1967 after five of Nunavik’s 14 communities had established co-ops, with Kangiqsualujjuaq being the first community in 1959. In the years following the FCNQ’s introduction, all 14 communities set up co-ops in northern Quebec.
Aliva Tulugak, the federation’s vice-president for the Hudson Coast, said Tuesday that more than 300 co-op federation members from across Nunavik gathered in Montreal over the weekend for 40th-anniversary celebrations.
Individual members were recognized for their efforts to make the co-ops successful, he said. Tulugak added that members will also be eligible for a draw Aug. 31 to win snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles.
The co-operatives offer a variety of businesses and services, including:
Food sales.
Construction.
Fishing and hunting camps.
Adventure tourism operations.
Cable television and high-speed internet services.
Hotels.
Fuel storage and distribution.
Inuit art production and sales.
Speaking in Inuktitut, federation president Mark Uhitok Amamatuak of Salluit said the co-ops started operating out of small buildings, but the vision of their early directors was anything but small.
Today, Amamatuak said, he will be dedicated to his new position and use it to keep the federation strong.
On its website, the federation describes its co-operatives as “a powerful engine for economic development” in the region, employing the most residents outside of government.
Tulugak said if Nunavik’s communities continue to work together, the co-ops will continue to grow and succeed.
