Founding Document: Sointula Cooperative Store Association Constitution
Document A2022.256.021, from the Sointula Cooperative Store Association Collection, is the
foundation of the Sointula Cooperative Store Association’s constitution. This document is
incomplete and covers rules up to and including Rule 70. Rules 71-75 are missing. It includes
notes on the style and origin of the Finnish language used, as well as the differences for rule 67.
The following notes were created after comparing the founding document to the English-Finnish
version of the Sointula Cooperative Store Constitution – Sointula Osuukauppa-Osuuskunnan
Perussäänöt, published in 1933 by Vapaus in Sudbury, Ontario.
Translators’ Notes
The language of the founding document is written in Finnish specific to legal documents of the
time. This indicated to the translators that the document was not written by anyone in Sointula.
They surmise that the document was taken either from sources in Finland, or other
cooperatives. In addition, some of the Finnish expressions in the document are no longer in use.
Regarding Rule 67. This rule has the same meaning as the earlier version, but is written
differently. It spells out the terms for loaning money to Co-op members.
Rules 71, 72, 73, 74 and 75 of the document are missing.