Greatest co-operator:Alphonse Desjardins, the father of Canada’s caisse populaire movement and founder of Canada’s sixth-largest financial institution, has been named history’s “Greatest Canadian Co-operator” following an online vote by more than 8,000 people across the country. The Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) announced the winner at an evening celebrating the 100th anniversary of Canada’s organized national co-operative movement. Desjardins, who died in 1920, was one of 14 pioneers of the Canadian co-operative movement nominated.

Tag sales raise funds:

Ketchum Manufacturing Inc. and the Canadian 4-H Council have announced that more than $6,000 was raised last year for the 4-H program through the sales of Ketchum Reyflex CCIA/NLID cattle eartags sold in Canada. Ketchum donates a portion of all ear-tag sales to the provincial 4-H program in the province where the product was sold. To date, the Brockvillebased company has raised more than $52,000 for the 4-H program in Canada.

The fundraising program was launched in 2000. We’re up: Manitoba’s population grew by more than 14,000 people over the past year to now stand at 1,217,200 people as of April 1, according to Statistics Canada. Manitoba Competitiveness, Training and Trade Minister Andrew Swan said a record number of international immigrants is behind the historic rise. Manitoba welcomed more than 12,000 immigrants between April 2008 and April 2009 for another modern-day record. Statistics Canada estimates 9,300 more people came to live in Manitoba than left the province in the last 12 months. Investor hot spot: Manitoba has dethroned both Saskatchewan and Alberta as the most attractive Canadian province or territory for oil and gas investment, according to an international survey of petroleum executives by the Fraser Institute. Investors ranked Alberta as the least attractive province for oil and gas investment because of “punitive royalty rates, a lack of consultation, and a growing anti-energy bias.” “Meanwhile, Manitoba has quietly encouraged oil and gas investment with low royalties and an easy-to-understand regulatory framework.”