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Representatives from the six regional management organizations (RMO) are meeting with Industry Canada officials in Cranbrook, BC to develop a strategic plan to better support First Nation schools in their efforts to become the leaders in the delivery of education programming through the innovative use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Carl Seibel, FedNor's Telecom Officer, is attending this session with Brian Beaton, K-Net Coordinator as the Ontario RMO representatives. Other members of the RMO team will be joining the meeting via video conferencing.

These strategies include discussions about working with First Nations and their organizations across Canada to ensure EVERY school and community is provided with the opportunity to develop their own broadband infrastructure. With broadband infrastructure in place, First Nations are positioned to become involved in the development of local social and economic opportunities including telehealth, e-learning, e-commerce, e-government, etc.

Industry Canada programs and staff are working with communities across Canada to develop local broadband infrastructure. Many First Nations have already created their own community broadband solution. The challenge now is to get other Federal and Provincial government departments (like Indian Affairs, Heritage Canada, etc) investing in the ongoing operational costs of this infrastructure and the resulting applications. Health Canada is today investing in the Keewaytinook Okimakanak Telehealth Initiative that is making telemedicine and medical education programs available in remote First Nations across northwestern Ontario. Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) made a commitment in 2003 to fund the Keewaytinook Internet High School but the annual struggle to secure the necessary funding to operate this service in thirteen First Nations demonstrates a lack of support for the uses of these infrastructure on the part of this department. These are just two examples from the many broadband applications and the work that is required to create new opportunities in First Nations using broadband infrastructure.

The meetings in Cranbrook will include people from across the country using the K-Net video conferencing network and bridging service. The meeting is being facilitated by Harvey McCue. The agenda follows:

4th FIRST NATIONS SCHOOLNET
NATIONAL STRATEGIC
PROGRAMME PLANNING MEETING
October 12-14, 2004
Delta St. Eugene Mission Resort, Cranbrook, B.C.
Facilitator:  Harvey McCue

Tuesday, October 12th

6pm – 9pm First meeting with the Techmobile – St. Eugene Mission· The “Techmobile” is a multimedia truck designed to provide education regarding broadband to communities. St. Mary’s Room

Wednesday, October 13th

Connectivity
9am – 9:30am Keynote Speech: Chief Sophie Pierre, St. Mary’s BandChief Pierre is a nationally recognized leader whose vision has always been building for the future to make a better life for her nation and people.  She attended St. Eugene Mission residential school as a child and has been the driving force to convert it to a $40 million resort/casino. Chief David Room

9:30am – 10:15am E-Learning Direction – Pierre Gendron

10:30am – 12:00pm Strategic Planning Session 1: Mandate, objectives

• Mandate, programs objectives and priorities
• Collective objectives, individual member objectives
• Who is the target audience?
• Has your view of the FNS objectives/mission evolved?
• Current viewpoint of conference participants

Promising Initiatives
1:00pm – 3:00pm Strategic Planning Session 2: Continuing the discussion

• What is success?
• Measurements, indicators
• Industry Canada requirements – coping with the change
• First Nations requirements – coping with the change
• General Overview – Suzanne Robert
• RMAF/RBAF – Bruno Makoundi
• Broadband – Gerry Briggs 

3:15pm – 5:00pm Strategic Planning Session 3: Continuation

• Working with Education Authorities – Issues, Challenges and Outcomes · Events

Thursday October 14th

Moving Ahead
9:00am – 9:20am Strategic Planning Session 4 · Administrative Details - Suzanne Robert, FNS Program Manager

9:20am – 10:30 · Additions to FNS infrastructure

1. FNS Advisory Board
2. Aboriginal E-Learning Virtual Institute
3. Potential Networking- FNS- Federal and Provincial Governments
4. Unifying the RMOs
5. Key Players
6. Decisions/Actions

10:45am – 12:30pm Strategic Planning Session 5 – Final Steps, Moving Forward

1:00pm – 2:45pm Moving Forward - Discussion 

All of the sessions will utilize a Roundtable format