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While in Sioux Lookout today, the honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of State for Public Health and the honourable Roger Valley, MP for Kenora riding, met with Keewaytinook Okimakanak Health Director Robert Thomas and K-Net's Network Manager Dan Pellerin. In attendance at the meeting was Gavin Brown, FNIHB Regional Director and Mike Lovett, Sioux Lookout Zone Director. Discussions focussed on KO's Telehealth Sustainability and Expansion proposal to Health Canada.

Identifying strategies to ensure the current First Nations Telehealth initiative continues after the Aboriginal Health Transition program is completed in March 2006 is now everyone's priority.

The three members of Canada's Telecom Policy Review Panel met with community champions in Whitehorse, Yukon on Friday, September 9. Brian Beaton, K-Net Coordinator shared two presentations. The first presentation addressed "Community Readiness for Broadband. The second presentation provided information about the "Lessons Learned after the introduction of Broadband Connections in Remote First Nations".

Information about this gathering and all the presentations are available on-line. Everyone is invited to share their stories concerning access to broadband in your community in the on-line discussion forum being hosted on their web site at http://www.telecomreview.ca/epic/internet/intprp-gecrt.nsf/en/Home

The team from Keewaytinook Okimakanak Telehealth and K-Net will be hosting an operational telehealth environment at the upcoming AFN Telehealth Summit starting on Friday, Sept 23 in Winnipeg. Broadband connections are being installed at the Fairmount Hotel to demonstrate the use of IP video conferencing, telemedicine applications, IP telephone services and on-line First Nations health education services.

Canada's newest Medical School opens its doors

TUESDAY, SEPT. 13, 2005

Canada's first new Medical School in a generation was opened today in high-tech fashion by Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty following a telemedicine roll call to more than 10 far-flung communities that will be involved with the new School.

The Ontario Premier declared the Northern Ontario School of Medicine officially open after establishing two-way video conference links to a series of cities, towns and villages across Northern Ontario.

The first Medical School in Canada to open its doors in the Internet Age, it is also the country's first twin site Medical School, with a West Campus located at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, and an East Campus hosted by Sudbury's Laurentian University.

The Grand Opening this morning was a two campus videoconference, with Premier McGuinty and His Excellency John Ralston Saul among the distinguished guests at Laurentian University, while Aboriginal leader Elijah Harper and Ontario Minister of Health George Smitherman were among the featured speakers at Lakehead.  Ontario Lieutenant Governor James Bartleman and Canada's Commissioner of Official Languages Dr. Dyane Adam joined the proceedings by videolink from Toronto and Ottawa, respectively.

With a special emphasis on rural and remote medicine, NOSM will pioneer the marriage of technology, education, research, and health care delivery, promised Founding Dean Dr. Roger Strasser.  The School is based on the premise that medical students tend to practice where they have studied, and NOSM graduates will contribute to reducing the critical shortage of physicians in Northern Ontario.

"Since beginning our work on this project three years ago, the staff of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine has promised to create 'A Medical School like no other,'" Dr. Strasser noted.  "We want to reaffirm that promise to the people of Ontario, and to you students of the Charter Class, here today."

The School's first 56 undergraduate class members arrived on their respective campuses ten days ago, and have already begun their studies which will be undertaken in a wide variety of community and health science settings across Northern Ontario.

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For more information contact: 
Yonaniko Grenon           
Communications Officer - East          
(705) 662-7243 or (705) 669 -7943
yonaniko.grenon@normed.ca

Tracie Smith
Communications Officer - West
(807) 766-7314 or (807) 624-7862
tracie.smith@normed.ca

NAN HOSTS ANNUAL DAY OF PRAYER

THUNDER BAY, ON Monday September 12, 2005:  Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Deputy Grand Chief Goyce Kakegamic will host the fourth annual NAN Day of Prayer in Thunder Bay this week.

DATE:            Wednesday September 14, 2005

TIME:             10:00 a.m.

LOCATION:   Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Main Boardroom, 710 Victoria Avenue East Victoriaville Mall, Third Floor (Centennial Square entrance/Victoria Ave. entrance)

NAN Day of Prayer is a spiritual event designed to raise community awareness and support of the rising number of suicides among First Nation people, particularly in NAN territory - an area covering two-thirds of Ontario spanning East to Quebec's border, West to Manitoba, and North of the 51st parallel to the coasts of James and Hudson's Bays.

Community members, including elders, women, and youth across NAN territory are expected to participate in the event.

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For more information please contact:
Jenna Young
Communications Officer
Nishnawbe Aski Nation
(807) 625 4952
(807) 628 3953 (cellular)