For anyone who has ever thought about joining or forming a cooperative, a film screening and discussion of the subject will be of interest. Tom Shandel is a filmmaker, producer, writer and cooperative advocate who has been invited to Powell River on Thursday, October 17, by Skookum Food Provisioners’ Cooperative and First Credit Union to celebrate Co-op Week and International Credit Union Day. A press release provided by the event organizers, stated that some see cooperatives as a proactive answer to the recent financial turmoil and increasingly glaring inequalities in society that plague the 99 per cent. It is estimated that 40 per cent of Canadians are already members of one or more of Canada’s 8,800 cooperatives, and worldwide one billion people are members of cooperatives and/or credit unions. However, the cooperative model still seems to be a mystery to many. Hoping to unravel the mystery, Shandel will screen some of his recent films, including his documentary short Civilizing the Economy. He will discuss his experiences in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, his role as director of Cowichan Co-operative Connections, as well as his film work and co-producer role on the feature documentary The Corporation. The event is a fundraiser for Skookum Cooperative’s projects and begins at 6:30 pm with a meet and greet plus appetizers at Cranberry Seniors’ Centre, 6792 Cranberry Street. The presentation will begin at 7 pm and is expected to last for two hours. A $5 donation is requested at the door. For more information about Shandel, readers can visit online. For more information on Skookum Cooperative email [email protected].
