FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Local, award-winning author to write definitive story of Nova Scotia cooperative movement

(Truro, N.S., August 8, 2022)­—The Nova Scotia Co-operative Council is delighted to announce that it has commissioned multi-award-winning Nova Scotia journalist and author Alec Bruce to write the definitive story of the province’s Co-operative movement, focussing on its power and impact on people and their communities—past, present, and future.

Scheduled for completion in 2023—on the cusp of the Council’s 75th anniversary in 2024—Some Kind of Wonderful: The Story of the Nova Scotia Co-operative Council © will trace the evolution of Co-operative organizations and credit unions in the province.

From the Antigonish Movement in the 1930s, led by pioneers like Father Moses Coady, to the current Nova Scotia Co-operative Council, under the executive leadership of CEO and President Dianne Kelderman, the tale will be packed with human stories, Bruce said.

“This won’t be a brittle chronology. In these pages, readers will recognize the signs of the times in their own lives and in those of their parents, children, grandchildren, and neighbors. History will be an important part of the narrative, but the stories the living tell about their challenges, victories, and aspirations to build stronger, more resilient, more compassionate communities—and how Co-operative innovations and enterprises are helping them do that now and will continue to do so in the future—will be key.”

According to Dianne Kelderman, who has helmed the Council on behalf of its ten-member Board of Directors since 1996, the timing for the book couldn’t be better.

“Not only are we celebrating an important milestone with our 75^th anniversary, the power and impact of Co-operatives and credit unions in this province and beyond have rarely been more important or resonant,” she said. “Right now, one in three Nova Scotians is a member of a co-op or credit union. With $5.1 billion in assets, our 300 co-operative businesses and credit unions collectively employ 11,037 workers and provide safe, affordable housing for 6,000 people.”

She added: “People are hungrier than ever for local self-determination, dignity, and community. But if you ask them, not many can tell you that so much of that began right here in Nova Scotia, and so much more of it is going on right now under their noses. This is a story that needs to be told to an audience that’s more than ready and motivated to hear it.”

Bruce, who holds a Master’s degree in Creative Nonfiction from the University of King’s College in Halifax, has written on staff and freelance for some of North American’s major publications, including The Globe and Mail, New York Times, Macleans, Saltscapes, and Atlantic Business Magazine. He’s the author of three previous books, including a biography of New Brunswick community and social activist Laura McCain. He has received 16 regional, national and international awards for his writing. He is also the Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Guysborough Journal weekly newspaper.

For information and/or enquiries, contact:

Dianne Kelderman
President & CEO
Nova Scotia Co-operative Council
347C Willow Street Truro, NS  B2N 6C7
Tel: (902)-896-7291
Email: diannefk@eastlink.ca

OR

Alec Bruce
Writer & Editor
18 Ford Street
Halifax, NS  B3M 2M7
Tel: (902) 452-4779
Email: alecb128@gmail.com