WINNIPEG - Arctic Co-op member owners from across Nunavut and the NWT were brought together in Winnipeg, Man., last week to pass new resolutions for the coming year.

Sixty delegates attended the three-day annual meeting. Each of the North's 33 Co-op's were eligible to send two delegates, and this year members from 30 Co-op's attended.

It was a high percentage turnout, according to Jeff Provost, manager of member and public relations for Arctic Co-operatives Limited.

"The main purpose of the annual meeting is... to report on the business activities for the proceeding year," Provost said.

This includes an update on resolutions passed at the previous meeting.

"We're giving a report to members, not shareholders," Provost said of the difference between this annual general meeting and a corporate meeting.

At this year's meeting, the members passed 14 resolutions. Delegates asked the Co-operative's two service federations to explore alternate energy systems for the Co-op's.

"Power rates are... probably one of the biggest monthly, steady liabilities that each of the Co-op's have," Provost said.

Wind power was one suggestion the delegations provided.

There were other resolutions on training.

"We love to train our Co-op members so they become our Co-op managers, Co-op Inns North managers and cooks," Provost said.

The resolutions tend to be general in nature, and it is up to the Board of Directors and the service federations to fill in the blanks and provide specific information. The feasibility of each resolution is investigated throughout the year.

"Anything that was passed really is truly reflective of the membership," Provost said.

A third of the delegates were new and contained a good mix of young and old, male and female.

The delegates were representing the approximately 19,000 Co-operative members of the NWT and Nunavut.

All of the delegates were travelling and could not be reached for comment at press time.