New co-op cinema gives front-row view of Canadian
efforts to beat global poverty

Ottawa March 1, 2010  ̶̶  Canadians have a new way to experience the fight to end
global poverty thanks to a virtual movie theatre recently unveiled by the Canadian
Co-operative Association (CCA) on its website.

"On any given day, Canadians are working in remote corners of the globe to help
credit union and co-operative leaders move their communities out of poverty," said
CCA media relations manager David Shanks. "We created the CCA Cineplex to give
Canadians a window on this largely untold story."

Established in 1909 and one of Canada's longest standing international development
agencies, CCA works through co-operative enterprises in over 20 of the world's
poorest nations to help their members move out of poverty. It's programs reach more
than 2.5 million people in more than 6,400 co-operative enterprises.

Mr. Shanks says the videos, podcasts and blogs available on the Cineplex bridge time
zones and language barriers to put viewers in touch with people, places and events
at the centre of this important international work.

"Those who would not otherwise travel to such far off places can now make virtual
visits to the frontlines of international development and witness the very positive
impact Canadians are having on the lives of so many people."

Three such Canadians are delivering compelling first person accounts of their
experiences helping credit unions in Malawi and Uganda through a Cineplex feature
called The Three Bloggers. Credit union "coaches" Brad Hopfauf, Charlie Collura and
Robert Christiansen are on their second CCA-sponsored mission to share their
knowledge with credit unions.

Cineplex visitors can also see through the eyes of Moncton journalist Rayanne
Brennan how people living in remote villages in Nicaragua, the Western Hemisphere's
second poorest nation, are emerging from poverty.

Visit
http://www.cineplex.coopscanada.coop/
to follow the blogs and view the videos.