Centre Wellington is now one of 12 communities in Canada designated as a Fair Trade Town in Progress.
The local fair trade group is working to achieve the six goals needed to have Centre Wellington designated a Fair Trade Town:
– council uses fair trade certified products and supports the fair trade towns campaign;
– stores and restaurants serve fair trade certified products;
– work places, faith groups, and schools use and promote fair trade certified products;
– public awareness events and media coverage held on Fair Trade and the campaign;
– a steering group created for continued commitment; and
– other ethical and sustainable initiatives promoted within the community.
When those six steps are completed Centre Wellington can apply to TransFair Canada to be considered a Fair Trade Town. Currently there are four such places in Canada: Wolfville, Nova Scotia, La Pêche, Quebec, Port Colborne, and Nakusp, British Columbia.
The concept of fair trade has been around for over 40 years. Formal organizations for fair trade began in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It is now an international organization with several names. Max Havelaar in Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway and France; Transfair in Germany, Austria, Luxemburg, Italy, the United States, Canada and Japan; Fairtrade Mark in the UK and Ireland, Rättvisemärkt in Sweden, and Reilu Kauppa in Finland.
The Centre Wellington group has been raising public awareness in a number of events. On May 11 Kelly Waterhouse served Fair Trade coffee and chocolate at the township offices. Those were supplied by Nathalie McNeill, owner of the Fountain Head Health Store, in Fergus.
Members of the working group have manned information displays in Elora at Planet Youth Extravaganza in on May 24and at the Aware Fair at the Elora Arts Centre on May 30.
The group will be meeting regularly to complete the six steps to make Centre Wellington a Fair Trade Town.
If anyone wants more information or would like to be involved, contact anyone on the working group. Their names are: Toni Ellis; Menai Wardle; Nathalie McNeill, Julia Tyndale-Briscoe; Chris Jess; Sabine Maarse; Jodi Pallagi; John Markvart.
