2026 is a special year for Co-operatives First – we’re celebrating our 10th anniversary. For this 10th anniversary podcast series, we spoke to four “champions” who we’ve worked closely with over the years – who have started co-ops, provided business support for local people, and who are just great leaders themselves.

In this episode, we spoke with Dr. Judith Harris, a retired Associate Professor from the University of Winnipeg. Judith's background is in planning and economics, with a particular interest in social learning and social mobilization approaches to planning. Judith and I spoke about her involvement in helping to start The Village Co-op, her work with the Walls to Bridges program at Stony Mountain Penitentiary, and her thoughts on leadership and the importance of building community.