Forgive the quote-tweet @davidebwebb but this will take a few tweets.

You've accurately pinned down where MEC "went wrong" as the mid-00's.

For those that don't know the story, in 2012 the board proposed Special Resolution at the AGM that allowed them to select who could run. https://twitter.com/davidebwebb/status/1313225130454126592

the "Citizens for a Democratic Co-op" was immediately formed and they wrote why that measure was counter to the purpose of a co-op - to be run FOR the members, BY the members:

http://www.democraticcoop.ca/openletter.html 

""We believe that the members of MEC can and should choose the candidates who will best represent them, as members now do—not the board."

Here's the resolution archived at a blog on co-ops: http://montreal.mediacoop.ca/blog/dru/10078 

"...the nominations committee will select those nominees who meet the desired qualifications, experience and other attributes for directors, and decline any nominations for nominees who do not meet the desired qualifications."

This let the board DECIDE who could be on the board.

A few years later they "modified" the resolution to allow the board to merely "recommend" candidates, but by then the damage was done.

No non recommended candidate was ever elected.

There were a number of other undemocratic resolutions, but those were the main ones.

Now as to which co-op I want to save, I wanted the one run by the members.

The years since 2013 saw the massive expansion into non-outdoor-related product lines, many more stores, and real estate purchases along with "flagship" buildings.

The main purpose, to serve the membership, faded away as the mountain was removed from the logo, and the word "co-op" removed from all branding.

they talked a big game about "loyalty" and how the brand was "trusted" but as you know the corporate-driven board never understood WHY, and hence couldn't change course.

The most recent effort to "Save MEC" was tilting at windmills, as the system is set up to serve corporations, and has always been hostile to Co-ops

Any MEC buyer will tell you why North Face, Patagonia and Petzl didn't like selling to MEC back in the day because their other sellers complained prices were too low.

Just had that conversation this weeked about why MEC was not allowed to sell Petzl Commercial products.

So ultimately I know it's a futile pursuit to try to save MEC, but I think it's worth telling people about it.

It was a success because it WASN'T just another store, and it failed because the people who took over didn't understand a goddamned thing.