Media.Knet.Ca

The final report of the Kuhkenah Network of SMART First Nations presents the success story of the completion of this Industry Canada Smart Communities demonstration project. The report highlights the achievements, lessons learned, recommendations and how the work has grown beyond the original project goals and deliverables.

Click here for a copy of the 75 page report (860K - PDF) - This project officially began in April 2001 and end in March 2005. But it was in the summer of 1999 that the first Expression of Interest was submitted by Keewaytinook Okimakanak to Industry Canada indicating our interest in becoming Canada's Aboriginal Smart Communities demonstration project. The work continue ...

HIGHLIGHTED RECOMMENDATIONS (there are many other recommendations for communities and government contained under each of the project activities and within the final project evaluation that can be found at http://smart.knet.ca/evaluation):

• Government investment in broadband infrastructure is required to ensure ALL First Nations are connected and able to access equitable on-line programs and services. Each remote and rural First Nation across Canada is unique and requires unique telecom solutions to accommodate local and regional opportunities. The goal to bring broadband connections into every community across Canada was initiated with Industry Canada’s pilot of the BRAND program. This goal remains incomplete due in part to inadequate funding. This goal must be reaffirmed by the Government of Canada with adequate resources to complete this task. The basket of "basic" services proposed by the CRTC must now be expanded and supported by the Government of Canada to include access to broadband and open network infrastructure as defined in the National Broadband Task Force report from June 2001.
• Government must commit to purchasing their services from community networks as a vehicle to deliver on-line services with Canadians rather than creating new, parallel private networks that threaten the sustainability of the local community networks. Along with the use of community networks, governments must take a leadership role in the use of ICTs to conduct their business. It is not enough to provide government information on web portals. Government officials need to adopt IP-based information sharing and reporting strategies (voice, images), including internet protocol (IP) videoconferencing and telephone services (Voice over IP - VoiP) to communicate with citizens and clients. The most effective way to deliver a national program to expand connectivity and telecommunications in First Nations across Canada has been the creation of the partnerships involved with Industry Canada’s First Nations SchoolNet program’s Regional Management Organizations (RMOs). The RMO model has been utilized effectively to deliver a variety of national First Nation initiatives. The regional model has been pioneered by government internally to deliver economic development and e-community facilitation across Canada through regional agencies such as Industry Canada’s FedNor initiative.
• For remote regions that want to control and own their networks, it's practically impossible to build a sustainability strategy based on traditional business and program delivery models. Rather, innovative and cooperative telecom policies and government programs are required to ensure equitable access and sustainable operation to the required infrastructure and applications.
• Technologies like IP-based video conferencing and telephony service can provide much needed revenue while offering residents and subscribers an alternative to traditional independent services. To maximize value and revenue video conferencing must deliver TV quality images, requiring two-way symmetrical services. Watch out for salesmen selling non-symmetrical connectivity products and services that remove limited financial resources from the region.
• Aggregate demand for video, voice, and data services across the community and provide an integrated solution to ensure a cooperative and sustainable local community network operation.
• Establish revenue generating services such as local network management, technical maintenance and assistance, website and portal development and hosting. These services will be valuable to businesses and organizations across the community.
• In order for a network to be sustainable in a small community, the community needs to be involved in all the development phases and ongoing operation as much as possible. This effort will ensure that all the local organizations and service agencies working with the community will be able to contribute to the ongoing operation and maintenance of the local network so everyone in the community can access these on-line services.
• Government policies and programs are required to support the development of local capacity and provide equitable resources for the local operation of these telecom solutions. Developing and sustaining broadband infrastructure and associated services are necessary and essential components for a healthy economic and social environment in all Canadian communities. For the communities where private sector telecom providers will not venture due to inadequate markets, governments must intervene and provide the communities with the resources required to construct and sustain these community broadband networks that will support their required applications. Program processes including funding applications, monitoring and reporting requiring multiple government stakeholders and partners must be streamlined and less onerous for the community applicant and must better reflect the project risks involved to produce successful results with local and regional government support systems (such as FedNor and accounting firms for financial auditing purposes).
• Locally deployed and operated telecom infrastructure and capacity building is essential to drive and sustain these communication tools for supporting local economic and social development opportunities. Investments in local human resource and skills development support the effective use of ICTs and broadband infrastructure by the people they are meant to serve. Strategic investments and supporting government policies and programs supports a healthy and growing environment that benefits all sectors of the Canadian society. These applications are required to support the ongoing operation of the community network and help pay the bills for the local services being provided.

Two upcoming Aboriginal women's gatherings found on the Canadian Women's Health Network will be focusing on issues relating to communities, health and our children.

National Aboriginal Women in Leadership Training Conference: " Our Children, Our Youth, Our Future"
October 19-22, 2005   Montreal, QC

Now in its sixth year, the Annual National Aboriginal Women in Leadership Training Conference brings together women from across Canada to develop leadership skills, network, exchange information, empower each other and recognize the accomplishments and talents of First Nations women.

For more information contact:

First Nations Training and Consulting Services
PO Box 69, Saanichton, BC   V8M 2C3
Phone: (205) 652-7097, Fax: (205) 652-7039
fntcs@telus.net
www.firstpeoplescanada.com/2005WIL.html

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Health Research Governance and Aboriginal Women Workshop

September 13-14, 2005   Vancouver BC

A Pre-Conference Workshop to precede the Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada Annual Conference hosted by the ABORIGINAL WOMEN'S HEALTH AND HEALING RESEARCH GROUP

Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites
700 Old Lillooet Road
North Vancouver BC
V7J 2H5.

The Aboriginal Women's Health and Healing Research Group (AWHHRG) is a national network of First Nations, Métis and Inuit women researchers interested in community-based research focused on the health and healing of Aboriginal women, their families and communities. The AWHHRG receives financial support from the Women's Health Contribution Program, Health Canada and is working toward the establishment of a Centre of Excellence for Aboriginal Women's Health and Healing.

*Participants *
Researchers, students and community members with an interest Aboriginal women's health and healing research are invited to participate in the workshop.

*Cost *
The general rate for the workshop is: $100.00 for both days or $50.00 for a single day. The student rate is $50.00 for both days or $25 for a single day. Lunch will be provided on both days .

Participation will be limited to 50 people and will be available on a first-come, first serve basis.

*Contact *
Interested parties should register with Cara Wehkamp prior to September 09, 2005. Please email carawehkamp@sympatico.ca for registration form.

from the NAN Decade for Youth web site at http://nandecade.ca ....

Youth Council Fall Meeting 05

The NAN Decade Youth Council and Trust Fund board (one in the same) is planning their fall meeting in Thunder Bay for September 17 & 18. You can learn more about the Decade Youth Council here!

They are also co-sponsoring a Youth Peace March in Thunder Bay on Friday, September 16th. The "Youth for Peace, Let's Stop Violence Now!" peach march will take place at 2pm on Friday, September 16th. Leaving the Lakehead Labour Centre at 2pm to Thunder Bay City Hall for a rally at 3pm. Youth BBQ and agency display at Metis Community Centre at 4pm. Youth Dance at Labour Centre, 8pm to midnight. All youth are invited to join.

The Regional Multicultural Youth Council in cooperation with the Decade Youth Council are planning this event to raise awarness about youth violence and substance abuse. It is part of the Northern students orientation activities. Download the very cool poster in PDF here

The BIG NEWS for this year is that the NAN Charitable Youth Trust Fund received their charitable status number in April. So, the Trust Fund is now a registered charity and board members have begun fundraising.