The Lost Code

Cooperation

Alphonse Desjardins

Photo taken by Alfred George Pittaway in Ottawa, 1913. Fédération des Caisses Desjardins du Québec visual archives

Alphonse Desjardins, a stenographer at the House of Commons in Ottawa, was concerned by the economic disadvantages facing French Canadians. He feared that capitalism would ultimately wipe out small producers and wanted to give them better access to credit to help foster their development. Drawing inspiration from cooperative movements already in operation in Europe, he developed an original model tailored to Québec: the caisse populaire, or credit union. Through these caisses, small borrowers could build their businesses.