Member of the Order of Canada
Awarded on: 2014-11-20
Invested on: 2015-02-13
For his contributions to the economic development of the northern regions of Quebec as a driving force behind the co-operative movement.
Peter Murdoch has left an indelible mark on the northern regions of our country. After moving to Canada’s North in the late 1940s, he gained a deep understanding of the social and economic barriers faced by the Inuit. He played an instrumental role in founding one of the first co-operatives and helped to develop a framework for the Inuit to manage their own local economies and gain greater independence. Based on his earlier success, he exported the co-operative model to other northern communities, notably as the general manager of the Fédération des coopératives du Nouveau-Québec.