A Silent Transformation is improving the lives of Ontarians

Co-ops have twice the success rate of regular businesses, keep capital in the community, help local folk learn leadership and financial skills all while building capacity within the community.

Picture: From A Silent Transformation Credit: Powerline Films Production

Co-operatives are autonomous associations where people voluntarily unite to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned, and democratically controlled, enterprise.

The values held by those engaging in co-operatives are incongruent with the values held by traditional capitalist business owners.

Instead of encouraging competition, dog eat dog and survival of the fittest, co-operatives set out to minimize differences and inequalities and that includes taking into consideration what the ‘bosses’ are paid as well as the ‘workers.’

There’s a definite theme of generational equity in co-operatives that builds for future generations as opposed to making fast money and getting out quickly. That provides a quality of life and a stable existence for both the present and future.

And, it appears that this anti-capitalist way of doing business is making a come back even if it is A Silent Transformation.

A Silent Transformation, a Powerline Films Production, chronicles some of the oldest and newest co-operative ventures to lay down roots across southern Ontario.

A great example of longevity is the Native Inter-Tribal Housing Co-operative in London, Ontario that’s been around for over 30 years and is home to multiple generations from some of the founding families.

And, who knew that Gay Lea Foods was a co-operative? President and CEO, Michael Barrett, emphasizes the importance of creating generational equity rather than getting rich and selling out.

Co-operatives in Canada took political form with the rise of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) a collation of progressive, socialist and labour groups.

Tommy Douglas, Premier of Saskatchewan for 17 years, was a true socialist, introducing crown corporations, publicly owned car insurance and of course, universal healthcare. Many of Douglas’ programs and legislations were implemented by other provinces as well as the federal government.

Douglas went on to be the first leader of the federal New Democratic Party (NDP) when the CCF merged with the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) to form the NDP in 1961.

Douglas championed equal education, freedom of speech, collective bargaining, family allowance, unemployment insurance, universal old age pension, increased disability grants and Medicare for all Canadians.

Because co-operatives are member-owned organizations they are better able to meet the needs of their members.

Four types of co-ops exist in the form of producer, worker, consumer and multi-stakeholders which combines the previous three forms. All forms of co-ops offer members economic democracy as well as strength in numbers.

Simon Brothers, Luke Mistruzzi, Anton Smolski and Mark Preston co-directed A Silent Transformation. In fact, the four treated the project as a co-op of its own with each co-director voting on major editorial decisions.

Brothers told Small Change via email, “We had previously made shorter documentary videos about the co-operative model with an Ontario group, Local Food and Farm Co-ops.  After learning about co-ops through the production of these videos, and meeting the people behind these co-ops and their reasoning behind structuring their business as co-ops we thought that audiences would be interested, just like us!”

During the fundraising process the directors became familiar with many co-ops right across Canada. Initially, they wanted to create a film featuring national co-ops, but when they were unable to secure the funds to do this they decided to focus on Ontario.

Ontario is home to 40 per cent of Canada’s population, yet membership within co-ops is lower than the rest of the country.

“We thought that with so many consumers in Ontario, and without as robust a co-op sector as other provinces, making a film educating Ontarians about Ontario would have the greatest positive impact,” said Brothers.

“We looked at the human stories behind the co-ops we featured in the film, the characters leading these initiatives, and also the market share of who the co-ops we were going to feature.  For instance, we featured Meridian (Credit Union) because they are the largest credit union in the province, while a small skateboard co-op was full of interesting people trying to make their local community a better place,” he added.

The film makers also included one of my favourite co-ops, Family Pastimes Co-operative Games. Brothers said founder Jim Deacove was especially memorable because he invents games based upon the co-operative way he believes we should all live our lives. 

Deacove speaks about Mennonite barn raisings and how whole communities came together to accomplish things for individual families within the community. 

“We don’t live our lives like this anymore, we often just look out for ourselves and our direct family . . . and good luck to everyone else.  One of the glaring hypocrisies this film presented to me about our society is that we teach our children to be caring, compassionate, and empathetic.  Then, once they become young adults, we urge many of these same kids go off to business school and they are taught the exact opposite, instilling a dog eat dog, endless growth by any means mentality. Why do we choose to do this?” asked Brothers.

Planet Bean Coffee in Guelph, Ontario, an interesting because it’s a worker owned co-op and they, in turn, work directly with coffee growing co-operatives in Mexico and South America. 

The co-op model not only benefits this lovely Ontario community, but extends into Mexican and South American communities.

“It was also interesting to hear founder, Bill Barrett, speak about how the NDP provincial government in Ontario in the 90’s supported co-operatives, and how with a little bit of government support the co-op sector came to life in Ontario,” said Brothers.

“Imagine if our government gave a helping hand to co-ops in Ontario instead of giving tax breaks to the largest most profitable companies that are the last businesses needing to be supported by taxpayers.  Currently, with our housing shortage and the corrupt actions of the PC government in Ontario, it is time for us to demand support for the co-op housing sector as a major part of a just and fair solution not only benefitting the wealthiest developers in Ontario,” Brothers added.

Truth is, co-ops have twice the success rate of regular businesses, keep capital in the community while local regional area folk learn leadership skills and improve their financial literacy skills all while building capacity in the community collectively and improving the overall quality of life.

Brothers maintains that as a society we make changes to the way our economic systems work pretty slowly in the west. Unfortunately, the changes which must take place in the coming decades to address wealth inequality and climate change are massive. 

Brothers maintains it often feels hopeless when you see the lack of will from our elite class, along with elected officials, to address these issues and affect the serious changes needed to continue to live with the comforts Ontarians, and Canadians, have grown to feel they are owed.

Brothers likes to point out that co-ops actually exist right now in multiple forms and they are structured in a way that provides goods and services without extracting from either the planet or workers in the destructive ways capitalism does. 

Co-ops currently operate alongside conventionally structured businesses while giving back to the communities they are based in and serve. 

“It is true that we need massive changes to the systems and structure of contemporary economic models. Our governments must stop the extraction of wealth from the lower and middle classes to a billionaire class of oligarchs. It seems that we haven’t reached the point when humans demand this massive overhaul,” Brothers told Small Change.

“We certainly hope that point is sooner than later. In the mean-time, co-operatives offer an opportunity to invest in a model which serves your local community in a sustainable way. It’s a way that as a consumer, or a business owner, you can actually do your best to have a positive impact as an individual on people and the planet,” added a hopeful Brothers.

Here's a list of the co-operatives featured in A Silent Transformation:

London Skateboard Co-operative
Native Inter-Tribal Housing Co-operative
The Root Cellar / On The Move Organics
Planet Bean Worker Co-operative
Li Maya Coffee Farmers’ Union
Café Femenino Co-operative

The Big Carrot
Meridian Credit Union
Aron Theater Co-operative Inc.
Dufferin Grove Housing Co-operative
Parkdale Neighbourhood Land Trust

Sorauren Community Farmers Market
Family Pastimes Cooperative Games
Gay Lea Foods Co-operative Ltd.
West End Food Co-op which has unfortunately closed since the making of this film

Individuals and groups interested in hosting a screening of A Silent Transformation should contact Brothers and Mistruzzi through the Powerline Films website.

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