Larry Whaley:  

Life Summary of my activities in the Co-operative Movement 1944 – 1965 I was born in Hanna Alberta. My grandfather was a founding member of the Hanna Co-op. My father was a member there. The family rented a frozen food locker and purchased food and building supplies at the Co-op. I moved to BC in 1965 and joined the South Burnaby Credit Union shortly after that. 1960’s & 1970’s I organized and worked with tenant’s associations in BC’s Lower Mainland. We used news coverage, letter writing, presentations to government and other activities to bring about progressive changes to the law under both Social Credit and NDP administrations. More 1970’s I worked for the Province of British Columbia in the Office of the Rentalsman and later as Family Financial Counsellor. I joined and patronized the Community Consumers’ Co-op which had a small store at Lougheed and Willingdon in Burnaby. My volunteer activities included: 1. Founding, organizing and participating in the development of a 24 unit housing co-operative – The Norman Bethune Co-op – in Burnaby. I was this Co-op’s first president and remained in that position until my family out grew the available accommodation and had to move. 2. Being the First (and only) membership elected president of the United Housing Foundation (UHF). UHF was a co-op housing developer. 3. Chairing a citizen input committee for the GVRD’s Planning Department. The committee developed the Liveable Region concept that resulted in town centers surrounded by high-density development and linked to each other by rapid transit traveling through areas of lower density. 1980’s I moved to Nanaimo and continued working as a Family Financial Counsellor. I joined the Nanaimo Credit Union and the Mid Island Co-op and became active in the community. By 1983 it was clear that Canada’s banks had no understanding of the affect their actions and high interest rates were having on the lives of Canadians. It was also clear that governme...Expand for more