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Rochdale College
Rochdale was billed as the greatest Canadian
experiment in social democracy of this century. It was a
modern 18 story apartment building and was Canada’s first
and only free university. It was to be owned and operated by
the residents of the building. As such, it was a socialist and
collective alternative to the capitalist - landlord - tenant
feudal philosophy.
What happened? It opened in 1968, and by 1971, it was
referred to, in the press, as the largest drug distribution
warehouse in North America. The Federal Cabinet held
secret Interdepartmental meetings and decided to close it
within six months. Despite this, Rochdale continued to give
the Canadian establishment, the finger, for another four
years.
Was it a success or a failure? It was both depending on your point of view. In the late sixties and early seventies, it
was symbolic of a new generation. In the late seventies it
was killed and buried. In the eighties, it was ignored.
Rochdale will not and could not be repeated. It was unique
to it’s times, and uniquely Canadian.
Brian J. Grieveson
Loon Lake June 15\1990
