The Global Village is not the most secure place in which to live these days. Money moves around the globe at the touch of a button.
World markets fluctuate.
Many North Americans feel less secure about their jobs with each passing year. Increased community self-reliance is one source of relief. In the community of Cheticamp, Nova Scotia for example, co-operatives form the area's economic backbone. The result is hundreds of jobs, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in profits paid to community members rather than distant shareholders. Members of the Wabagoon Lake Ojibwa Nation started the Kagiwiosa Manomin Wild Rice co-op, taking control of both the harvesting and processing of local wild rice after big companies moved in to try to dominate the industry.