Pacific Peoples' Partnership is pleased to announce
Our 2005-2006
Indigenous Peoples Abroad Programme
Six-month paid positions in the South Pacific starting September 2005
If you're interested in international Indigenous issues and Pacific Island Cultures please visit our website for further information on the following opportunities:
For further information and eligibility requirements please visit our website at www.pacificpeoplespartnership.org
The deadline for applications is Friday, June 3rd, 2005 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time.
Watch for more several more exciting new placements in the South Pacific over the coming weeks!
Glenn Raynor
Programme Officer
Indigenous Peoples Abroad Programme
Pacific Peoples' Partnership
407-620 View Street
Victoria, BC V8W 1J6
Tel: 250.381.4131
Fax: 250.388.5258
ipap@pacificpeoplespartnership.org
www.pacificpeoplespartnership.org
Call for Letters of Interest
Government of Canada (FedNor) Commitment of $10 Million to Northern Ontario Broadband Connectivity
On April 21, 2005, the Honourable Joe Comuzzi, Minister of State (FedNor) announced that the Government of Canada, through FedNor, would commit 10 million dollars to establish broadband points of presence in unserved Northern Ontario communities. This investment reflects FedNor’s ongoing commitment to promoting regional connectivity and building a knowledge-based economy.
FedNor invites Letters of Interest from communities, First Nations and non-profit organizations to fill the role as community aggregators in the implementation of this connectivity initiative. Successful applicants will work closely with FedNor and act on behalf of participating clusters of communities who are interested in securing broadband services on a regional basis, and develop community-based programs to build demand and encourage adoption.
PROGRAM OBJECTIVE:
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
ELIGIBILITY:
Preference will be given to community organizations that demonstrate the following:
ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES: Broadband Planning and Project Management
While some ICT applications would be a priority for FedNor capital support, the community aggregator may seek funds from other sources to deploy worthy applications which do not qualify for FedNor contributions.
LETTER OF INTEREST REQUIREMENTS:
Letters of Interest must be three (3) to five (5) pages in length and include information under the following headings:
Letters of Interest must be received no later than 3:00 PM on Thursday, June 2, 2005. Please submit one electronic copy of the Letter of Interest by e-mail to Theo Noël de Tilly
Note:
This initiative is a FedNor priority, funded under the Connectedness Program, and is subject to all of FedNor’s existing terms and conditions.
For more information, please contact a FedNor Telecom Officer in your area, by calling toll-free: 1 877 333-6673.
http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/infednor-fednor.nsf/en/fn02291e.html
Representatives from the Attorney General's team visited Sioux Lookout on Tuesday to meet with the K-Net team to identify strategies for supporting court and corrections officials to better connect with the First Nations across the region. Lead by Robert Gordon from the ministry's Thunder Bay office, six others came from Kenora, Dryden and Toronto offices to find a way to work together to utilize and support the community networks and be able to effectively deliver their services in these remote First Nations.
Carl Seibel, from Industry Canada's FedNor program, was able to join the discussions and assist the provincial officials to understand the federal government's investments in the First Nations local telecommunications infrastructure.
The Grade 8 Supplementary Courses program (http://g8.firstnationschools.ca) is offering science, mathematics and english literacy ministry curriculum materials for First Nation students across the province. First Nation Grade 8 classes are located in communities across the province.
Click here to find out what the participating classroom teachers are saying about how the science and math courses are supporting their students doing the first two terms (2004-2005 school year).
A new site has been added to the K-Net platform featuring extensive online e-commerce training resources http://lone-eagles.knet.ca
Most rural indigenous communities worldwide are still struggling to develop strategies to access broadband connectivity solutions. Community networks partnering with K-Net are now ready to begin focussing on those broadband applications which can create true cultural sovereignty.
The potential exists to grow the capacity to use communication tools like Macromedia Breeze and other on-line resources to work with other indigenous communities worldwide. Teaching and demonstrating how they too, can protect and preserve their cultures by making a living, in a culturally appropriate manner, via e-commerce and telework initiatives are required. Creating successful on-line businesses and learning environments could also be the key to sustaining the Kuhkenah Network (K-Net).
Lone Eagle's best rural Innovation resources, including extensive Alaskan Native resources are available on-line at http://lone-eagles.com/future-proofing.htm
Two examples of potential clients for interested e-commerce mentors include:
I'm talking with a company seeking to create call centers in indigenous communities. They seek a single community with which to create a first success story; www.cfoadvisors.com
Just last week I had a conference call with Industry Canada. They are now trying to figure out what type of community-based programs can be rolled out in rural communities - to begin focussing on the adoption and applications that bring real benefits to real people instead of simply internet access.
The challenge is motivating citizens to get involved and to sustain their motivation by producing measurable outcomes in the short term. One such model community learning program is "Sustainable Ecommerce Education Development Strategies (SEEDS)" that is available on-line at http://lone-eagles.com/seeds.htm
Where will the first successful community learning program be demonstrated that showcases the will and vision of a community determined to prove itself sustainable?
Here are two reports on Native Entrepreneurship for everyone to review:
Lastly, the Microsoft Telecentre Support Network will be unveiled in November. www.telecentre.org
Lone Eagle's online lessons providing an easy introduction to your opportunities with entry-level ecommerce and telework are accessible to everyone at http://lone-eagles.com/ecom.htm
What tribes will lead the world in Ecommerce Innovation in order to protect indigenous cultures worldwide?
We're limited only by our imaginations!
All the best,
Frank Odasz
Lone Eagle Consulting
http://lone-eagles.knet.ca
A number of press releases from this year's United Nations's Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues highlight conditions similar to those experienced by First Nations across northern Ontario. Many of the recommendations are the same as those expressed by First Nation leaders across the region.
"the importance of quality education in pulling indigenous people out of poverty and preserving their cultures and knowledge systems" - i-newswire, May 21, 2005
"Priority should be placed on providing more and better education for indigenous peoples, with emphasis on implementing bilingual education programmes and providing nutritional head start programmes for children. Data collection methods should be improved to locate and identify indigenous peoples, and clear performance goals should be established to hold providers accountable."
"Indigenous children were more likely to attend school if their communities participated in all decisions about the content and management of their educational systems" - i-newswire, May 21, 2005
"indigenous children would feel comfortable in schools if they harmonized with their culture and traditions in a language they understood. Studies had shown that education conducted in their mother tongue allowed children to learn more quickly and transfer skills to another language.
She added that education for indigenous children meant learning about their own community’s ancestral traditions and reading and counting in their mother tongues, as well as their country’s history and dominant language. Emphasizing that non-indigenous children should also receive intercultural education, she said they could then learn about indigenous cultures and languages and positive inputs indigenous peoples made to overall society."
"The linkage of issues related to forests and indigenous peoples ... with a focus on good practices and barriers to implementing actions combating poverty." - i-newswire, May 18, 2005
"... concerned with the deterioration of the ecosystem. Governments that recognized ancestral rights and forestry rights were creating new opportunities to improve indigenous livelihoods and reduce poverty."
"United Nations hosts an expected 1,500 indigenous leaders, activists and representatives who will participate in the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues from 16 to 27 May. At this, its fourth session, the Forum will examine situations faced by indigenous peoples as countries and organizations strive to meet the Millennium Development Goal targets, with special focus on the first two Goals -- to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger and to achieve universal primary education." - i-newswire, May 17, 2005
Chief Albert Hunter of the Rainy Lake First Nations (http://rainyriver.firstnation.ca) stated in the press release ...
“In signing this agreement, we honour our past by remembering our ancestors and relatives who endured. We honour our present by paying homage to our community, our people, our leaders, and our elders who remain steadfast and proud. We honour our future by sustaining the future of our children, grandchildren and those yet born. We say to all that the legacy of the Rainy River First Nations will endure and flourish, that the spirit of renewal, of our determination and of our autonomy will likewise endure and flourish. We will continue to contribute to secure sustainable economies and to the shared values of our own citizenry and to those of our neighbours.”
Click here to read the press release on the INAC web site.
Click here to read the backgrounder of Rainy River Land Claim
May 2005
The report "A Sociological Analysis of Aboriginal Homelessness in Sioux Lookout, Ontario" by
Debra Sider M.A. of the Sioux Lookout Anti-racism Committee (SLARC) presents information about the challenges facing Aboriginal people who come to this community in northwestern Ontario. Click here to read the entire report is available on the Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF) web site
The various section of the report highlights the challenges and includes a Call to Action for the community and the government to address these issues. Some of the recommendations include:
Nibinamik First Nation leadership is supporting the development of a local broadband service that provides community members with access to telehealth and high speed data services. The local wireless community network is connected to a Kuhkenah Network T1 service that can support video conferencing from different locations throughout the community.
K-Net's Network Manager (Dan) and Systems Analyst (Terence) are in Summer Beaver working with their local technician on the local network to ensure their broadband network is able to manage the different traffic properly.
May 26 is being set recognized by groups across Canada as our National Day of Healing and Reconciliation. Events are being planned by different groups across the country to support residential school survivors.
From the official National Day of Healing and Reconciliation web site at http://www.ndhr.ca
National Day of Healing and Reconciliation is a movement of people committed to moving forward collectively within our families, communites and across Canada for the purposes of healing and reconciliation.