Jesse Fiddler, Multi-media Manager for K-Net and Adam Fiser, PhD candidate at the University of Toronto, are travelling to Prato, Italy to present papers about Keewaytinook Okimakanak at the CIRN 2004 Conference and Colloquium. The conference is being presented by Community Informatics Research Network, Inc. and is hosted by Monash University, Australia and Italy campuses.
Click here to download Jesse's paper from the conference web site. Jesse is presenting the KO story on Oct 1 and the title of his paper is "Walking the talk: Connecting remote Indigenous communities globally"
Click here to read Adam's Doctoral Research Project being presented on Sept 29 entitled "ICTs for Education In Ontario First Nations"
Grand Chief Delivers Message of Hope and Reconciliation to First Nations Resource Revenue Sharing Bill Hearings
(click here to see the entire press release as a Word document)
(Sioux Lookout, ONTARIO) On the opening day of the Provincial Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs hearings on Bill 97, the First Nations Resource Revenue Sharing Act 2004, Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Stan Beardy delivered a message of hope and reconciliation. “Resource revenue sharing is the first step in our journey to reconcile the injustices of the past and build hope for the futures of our communities,” said Nishnawbe Aski Nation Grand Chief Beardy.
Nishnawbe Aski Nation, which represents 49 First Nations in Northern Ontario, also calls on the province to pass complementary legislation to require impact and benefits agreements with all resource companies active in the Nishnawbe-Aski Nation treaty area.
The private members Bill, sponsored by NDP M.P. Gilles Bisson, proposes a "procedure be established by which resource companies that intend to extract natural resources from First Nations traditional lands in Northern Ontario, negotiate a comprehensive revenue-sharing agreement with the First Nations and the Government of Ontario.
"“While people in Ontario and the markets of the world benefit from the lands and resources of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, our communities continue to languish in poverty. Our goal is a fair and equitable Ontario where First Nation peoples and our culture are respected and valued and where our communities share in the province’s wealth,” said Grand Chief Beardy.
The Committee hearings are being held in four Nishnawbe-Aski Nation communities, Sioux Lookout (September 20), Mishkeegogamang (September 21), Attawapiskat (September 22) and Moose Factory( September 23).
"Today's submission is intended to send a clear message to the provincial government that First Nations need revenue sharing now. The future of our youth is at stake. There is no time to waste," said Grand Chief Beardy.
The Nishnawbe Aski Nation written submission to the Legislative hearings outlines a solutions agenda of hope and reconciliation based on revenue sharing with the province, compulsory impact and benefit agreements with the resource industries, land use planning, meaningful consultation and community capacity building.
*** For more information please contact:
Stan Beardy
Grand Chief
Nishnawbe Aski Nation
(807) 623-8228
Jenna Young
Communications Officer
Nishnawbe Aski Nation
(807) 625-4952
(807) 628-3953 (cellular)
Michael Binder, Industry Canada's Assistant Deputy Minister for Spectrum, Information Technologies and Telecommunication and Lillian Beaudoin, Partnerships Program Officer with First Nations SchoolNet visited the Keewaytinook Okimakanak Sioux Lookout office today.
Geordi Kakepetum and the several members of his team provided our guests with a tour of the facilities and telecom infrastructure that has been put in place over the past 10 years in partnership with Industry Canada.
As a follow up to this brief meeting the following message was forwarded to Mr. Binder on Friday, September 17 ...
Good morning Michael … I want to thank you and Lillian for taking the time to visit Keewaytinook Okimakanak in Sioux Lookout yesterday. I believe it is very important for as many people as possible to get to see the type of strategic investment, the innovations and the opportunities that have been created through the development of broadband infrastructure. Over the years, Industry Canada programs (FedNor, CAP, SchoolNet, Smart, Brand, NSI, etc) have supported the development of all the applications you got to see during your brief trip to our community. I hope you are able to accept our sincere thanks on behalf of your team for making these types of strategic developments possible for the rural and remote communities in this region of Canada.
There is still so much more work to be done to ensure all the communities in Canada are able to experience and develop similar applications that address their local and regional requirements. As discussed, the K-Net team is ready and willing to work with your team to help make these developments possible. We look forward to having more people from your team visiting Geordi Kakepetum and the Keewaytinook Okimakanak offices in Balmertown / Red Lake to learn more about these applications. Our technical team in Sioux Lookout also welcomes all visitors and potential partners.
Dan and I realized afterwards that in our rushed agenda that you did not get a chance to visit our server and satellite operations centre in the building in the rear of the K-Net office. This building was recently renovated with the support of FedNor to accommodate Dan and Adi Linden’s office along with the servers and NOC/NMS for the satellite served communities. This omission is an example of why you need to plan another trip to the north when you are able to visit some of the First Nations that are benefiting these strategic broadband infrastructure development investments by Industry Canada working in partnership with the communities.
I hope that you will be able to bring more people with you the next time you visit, including the Minister of Industry and hopefully the Prime Minister. Sending other key decision makers to visit the organizations and communities is an important professional development requirement for everyone working in this field. I believe they too need to see the type of health care and educational applications you witnessed yesterday, being managed and operated in these communities by local resource people. The socio-economic opportunities created by these strategic broadband developments complement all the other infrastructure requirements of all communities. Without the broadband infrastructure, the other infrastructure priorities discussed (water, sewer, roads, etc) really have very little local influence within today’s information society.
Other important items discussed that require further follow up and development include:
Cal is busy going through all the video footage that he gathered yesterday during your visit. I am sure that he will be taking you up on your challenge to produce a four minute video clip that you will be able to show to the world. Maybe this message that I am copying to all the RMOs might be the challenge for everyone to be producing such a clip about all the great work in developing broadband infrastructure and applications that is happening in the First Nations across Canada.
I also want to acknowledge Dr. Dermot McLoughlin who provided us with a great presentation about his use of the teleradiology services. Carol Wood, Menoyawin Telehealth Coordinator, demonstrated and explained how the telehealth equipment is making a difference for all the communities with these resources in place. Then the staff and students of the North Caribou Lake First Nation Internet High School shared how these ICTs are making a difference for their community. Brian Walmark of the Keewaytinook Research Institute shared some of the work he is doing in documenting these success stories and First Nation case studies about the use of ICTs in local schools and communities. Of course, the great feast prepared by Jeannie Carpenter and her team helped all us continue through this crazy meeting pace.
I hope you get the chance to return to this region in the near future. I do look forward to working with yourself and your team in support all rural and remote communities to access equitable, affordable and sustainable broadband infrastructure and applications. I am sure these developments and this important work will make a huge difference for every community across Canada.
Brian
The Sioux Lookout DEPC Academic Readiness Project is hiring additional staff...
George Ferreira (PhD candidate at Guelph U), Ricardo Ramirez (Phd, Guelph U) and Brian Walmark (KO Research Institute) co-authored a paper for the workshop, Measuring the Information Society: What, How, for Whom and What? that is taking place on Saturday September 18, 2004 in Brighton, U.K.
Click here to read the paper they submitted entitled "Connectivity in Canada’s Far North: Participatory Evaluation in Ontario’s Aboriginal Communities". Click here to visit the conference web site.
Conference Information ...
Co-sponsored by:
Organizers:
Scope and objectives:
As public, private and civil society organizations are increasingly trying to promote and/or take advantage of the information society, or else the networked economy, the need for statistical data and indicators that reflect initial situations, change and its consequences is generating a variety of initiatives. Networked Readiness Index, Digital Access Index, Information Intelligence Quotient, INESXSK, Community Connectivity Indicators, to name a few, have flourished over the years.
This workshop will provide an opportunity for a critical review and unconstrained discussion of:
It is hoped that as a result of the workshop, participants will be equipped with a renewed broad overview of information society measures and a vision of the main directions for future research and development in this area.
On Monday, September 13, Aboriginal leaders including Assembly of First Nations Grand Chief Phil Fontaine joined the First Ministers Conference in Ottawa for the start of the conference. In the past Aboriginal leaders have been excluded from these "first minister" conferences involving the premiers, the prime minister and all their teams. The conference was opened with a traditional ceremony lead by an elder.
Even though the Aboriginal leaders were included only at the start of this historic conference, they did get to hear "Prime Minister Paul Martin pledge hundreds of millions of dollars to take special aim at health problems specific to aboriginal communities."
Read more stories about this commitment at:
We, the Chikane Family of Weagamow Lake have been trying to locate a sm/med size bag, color is a dark blue/navy. It had a blue NAC tag with the number 19053 and another Bearskin Airline tag with one of my parents' name on it along with their phone number.
On Thursday morning, August 19, 2004 we received some bad news that my uncle was in the ER in SLKT. My mother called my father who was in SLKT for a business meeting and informed him of the news she received. Upon his arrival at the hospital, he was informed that my uncle was in serious condition and would be medivaced to Winnipeg, MB via a helicopter. My father then became an escort for my uncle but was told he could not accompany him on the helicopter. He was then put on a NAC flight to Wpg. Upon arriving, he waited by the plane for his bag but was told by the Pilots that they would bring it inside for him, but it was never brought in.
My uncle passed away that same evening at the Health Sciences Center. This missing bag contains my deceased uncle's personal belongings, purchases and my father's personal things. It has caused my parents and family a lot of emotional turmoil and stress not knowing where this bag may be. We have called the airline but have not received any information as to where this bag may be.
Please find it in your heart to help us locate my father's bag. We are facing this tremendous sorrow & grief after losing my uncle. Locating this bag would give us a sense of relief and uplift some of our sorrow. Keep us in your prayers as we continue searching.
Please email me if you have any suggestions as to where else we can call. If you require further information or know where this bag may be, please call the North Caribou Lake Band Office at 807-469-5191 and ask for Angela or Dan or one of the Council Members.
Thank you on behalf of the Chikane Family.
Notice of Hearings
The Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs, a Cabinet Committee of the Province of Ontario may be at a location near you to obtain your input on:
Click here to Read Bill 97 - First Nations Resource Revenue Sharing Act, 2004
On June 14, 2004 this Bill reached Second Reading. It was referred to this Cabinet Committee. It is made up of the three Ontario parties (Liberal majority). They have been empowered to consider and report to the House, its observations, opinions and recommendations on Bill 97, based on input received from affected parties.
After these Hearings, the Committee hopes to be able to report on the Bill when the Ontario Legislature resumes in the fall of 2004
The Standing Committee’s itinerary is as follows:
September 20 - Sioux Lookout, Ontario - Sunset Inn - 1:00 to 6:00 September 21 - Mishkeegogamang First Nation - Safe House - 1:00 to 6:00 September 22 - Attawapiskat First Nation - Parish Hall - 1:00 to 6:00 September 23 - Moose Factory - Thomas Cheechoo Jr. Memorial Hall - 10:00 to 4:00Click here to view the poster from NAN encouraging everyone to get involved in these hearings.
Ga Wiianiniiganiitamagoyak Children’s Centre in Deer Lake recently participated in a Community Exchanges Program through the Aboriginal Head Start On-Reserve Program (ASHOR). Deer Lake is partnered up with one of Saskatoon Tribal Council’s Head Start sites, located at Mistawasis First Nation. Four program staff from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan program arrived in Deer Lake on September 06, 2004. They included:
The Community Exchanges acitivites kicked off with the participants being taken to the GW Children Centre where students, parents and staff were waiting to greet the visitors. After being greeted by the Head Start Program team, the participants went on a community tour of Deer Lake First Nation. The participants were amazed at the rockiness of the community, the lakes and rocks made a lasting impression on the participants. The participants are use to the vast prairies across the province of Saskatchewan.
The next day the visitors continued their tour of the community. Community programs and services were visited. The participants were most interested with the Telehealth Services available in the community. They had never seen such equipment and asked many questions about Telehealth. Thank you Lily Sawanas for your time in showing us the Telehealth equipment, you are truly an expert at what you do (smiles).
The third day, the participants spent most of the day in the program with the children. During class time, participants were able to observe how the Centre incorporates Deer Lake’s culture and language into the program. Towards the end of the day, the participants visited a few of Deer Lake’s elders. The elders are used by the program as Traditional Instructors.
The fourth day, the exchange participants met with the Family Support Worker to discuss the parental involvement in the program. In the afternoon, they met with the Parent Group to talk about the programming and operation of the Centre. After the meeting with the Parent Group, there was a feast to end the community exchanges initiative. Community members were invited to the feast so they could meet the Exchange participants from Mistawasis First Nation.
Overall, the Community Exchanges Program was a success, the participants were able to exchange valuable information and ideas with the staff at GW Children’s Centre. All the objectives of the exchange visit were met. Deer Lake’s Head Start Program will be visiting their site in October.
Check out the Children’s Centre website for pictures at http://gwchildrencentre.ca
The Keewaytinook Okimakanak Telehealth project is building a sustainable health care service and delivery model for rural and remote communities. The KO Telehealth Web Portal provides all the latest updates and news from the communities as new developments unfold. The KO Telehealth initiative is putting the tools into place in remote communities to support both the local health care team and the community in accessing improved health care services.
Meanwhile, the country's leaders are now preparing to meet to discuss traditional health care delivery models and protect their turfs (click here to read the CMA's latest billion dollar solution for reducing waiting periods for required medical attention by transporting patients all over the place - from CBC web site). As well the new Northern Ontario School of Medicine (our new medical teaching institution) is spending millions to build more "white elephants" so medical students can create their comfortable environments in the cities (click here to read about this story in the Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal). Building and investing in more inefficient institutional and corporate solutions that have created and continue to contribute to the expensive and ineffective health care system is simply leading Canadians towards private health care that only benefits the few.
Alternative and innovative health care delivery systems that support local, community-based health services require a major shift in everyone priorities to ensure these tools and systems are recognized and used by everyone. KO Telehealth and all its community partners are leading the way in developing local health care solutions and capacity for communities.