Episode 3 features a panel discussion/interview with Joey Pittoello from JustUs! Coffee Roasters Co-op, Kristen Murray from the Newfoundland-Labrador Federation of Cooperatives (NLFC), Angela Gaudet from Royal Star Foods (Tignish Fisheries Co-operative) for a conversation about the history of, and current happenings in co-operatives in Atlantic Canada. We begin with an interview/panel discussion, followed by a Q&A.
Joey Pittoello – JustUs! Coffee Roasters Cooperative
Joey became part of Just Us! Coffee Roasters Co-op in 2009 as a way to support his passion for organic farming. Over the years, he’s worn many hats at Just Us!, including Chocolatier, Production Manager, and now General Manager. He’s also a Worker Member of the Co-op, which is collectively owned and operated by its 17 Worker Members. While farming has shifted into more of a hobby, Joey continues to live out his commitment to organic agriculture through the relationships Just Us! maintains with small-scale coffee farmers. He, his partner Sarah, and their two children, Mia and Lewyn, live on a small organic farm near Wolfville, Nova Scotia.
Kristen Murray – Newfoundland-Labrador Federation of Cooperatives:
Kristen Murray (she/her) is a community leader and co-operative developer from St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador (NL). She holds the degrees of Bachelor of Commerce and Master of Business Administration in Social Enterprise & Entrepreneurship (MBA-SEE) from Memorial University of Newfoundland. For the past three years, Kristen has been working with the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Co-operatives (NLFC), currently in the position of Co-operative Development Officer. She leads co-operative education and development efforts, including a Co-operative Conversion Project and Co-operative Incubator Program. She recently completed CoopZone’s 2-Year Co-operative Developer Training Program and is now enrolled in the Certificate of Co-operative Management program at Saint Mary’s University. Kristen was the 2022 recipient of the Lemaire Co-operative Studies Award from the Canadian Association for Studies in Co-operation, a 2023 Co-operators Young Leaders Award recipient, and named the 2023 Young Co-operator of the Year from Co-operatives & Mutuals Canada. She is proud to also sit on Co-operatives & Mutuals’ youth advisory council, called Canada’s Emerging Co-operators. Kristen has a steadfast passion for the co-operative model and believes in the role co-operation will play in creating a brighter future for society and the planet.
Angela Gaudet – Royal Star Foods (Tignish Fisheries Co-operative):
Bio coming soon.
Webinar context
Le monde évolue à un rythme sans précédent, engendrant chez de nombreuses personnes et communautés un sentiment d'incertitude, voire d'inquiétude. Comment réagir face à ce monde en perpétuelle mutation ? Comment renforcer notre autonomie et notre résilience locales, sur les plans social, économique et écologique ? Face aux nouvelles taxes douanières qui menacent d'aggraver les difficultés financières de nos communautés, nous souhaitons mettre en lumière des exemples réussis de relocalisation dans notre région !
La relocalisation est un concept et un mouvement visant à devenir plus autonomes dans notre production et notre consommation (tout en réduisant notre dépendance aux chaînes d'approvisionnement éloignées) dans tous les domaines, de l'énergie à l'alimentation, en passant par les solutions climatiques, et bien plus encore.
This series is held on the last Thursday of each month from 12-1pm Atlantic and will explore examples of re-localization across Atlantic Canada! Hope to see you there.