Are you a member of a Caisse? If so, then you and your fellow-members are also owners. As members, you adhere to the values of solidarity and mutual aid that are the foundation of cooperation. Furthermore, to ensure that your Caisse is financially sound, you get the financial services that you need. You can also:
Find out more about Cooperative principles.
A Caisse operates on the “one member, one vote” principle. This means that your vote at your the annual general meeting carries the same weight as anyone else’s. This also means that it’s impossible to take control of a cooperative, which could happen in a company if the major shareholder decides to do so.
The Caisse’s annual general meeting is called once a year, some time after the end of the financial year end. An extraordinary general meeting may also be called to discuss important matters such as Caisse mergers or new by-laws.
Members can also contribute directly to the Caisse’s orientations. For example, they may use the annual general meeting as an opportunity to propose the creation of a fund in support of community projects. Or, they may inform others about a local problem if they think the Caisse has a solution or a way to support citizens in their efforts to correct the problem. Members may also express their opinions about the Caisse’s services (reception, information, courtesy or business hours).
Generally, at the annual or extraordinary general meeting, members:
If you would like to make a contribution to the democratic life of your Caisse, there may be an officer position that interests you. Becoming a Caisse officer is a terrific way to participate in the socio-economic development of your community and to learn about the financial and cooperative worlds.
Find out more about elected officers.
If Caisses operations are profitable, the Caisse will realize a surplus that is paid out to members. These surplus funds are also called “member dividends.” The members of a Caisse may also decide to allocate a portion or even all of the available surplus to one or several group projects. For example, members of several Caisses have already spent considerable amounts on job creation projects, on supporting young businesses, on the promotion of local products and on support systems for people in crises.
Find out more about member dividends