Media.Knet.Ca

Connecting Youth In Canada is broadcasting its fifth webcast "Growing Up Métis", in a live Internet series that engages Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal youth about issues that matter to them.Connecting Youth In Canada consists of 30-minute live webcasts with First Nations, Métis and Inuit high school students.

Schools and educators across Canada can go online, watch and send questions by e-mail to be answered in real-time by students participating in the webcast.

The upcoming webcast with Métis high school students will be broadcast from Winnipeg, Manitoba on February 23, 2005, at 11:30 a.m. EST.  The theme of the webcast is Growing up Métis.

We know that non-Aboriginal teens want to learn about their peers; in surveys filled out before the webcast, a majority of youth told us they are "very" or "somewhat" interested in learning about Aboriginal youth. An estimated  30,000 students and teachers watched the first four webcasts in Iqaluit (Nunavut), Chehalis First Nation (BC), Whitehorse (Yukon) and Sept-Îles (Québec).

Connecting Youth In Canada challenges misconceptions non-Aboriginal youth may have about their Aboriginal peers and increases awareness about Aboriginal youth living in different parts of Canada.

To find out more information or to view the archived webcasts, visit www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/connex or send an email to connex@<a href="mailto:ainc-inac.gc.ca.prudorit@inac-ainc.gc.ca">ainc-inac.gc.ca.

On Thursday and Friday, Feb 17 and 18, Brian Beaton travelled to AKRC and their member communities of Anishinaabeg of Naongashiing (Big Island) and Big Grassy River First Nation to discuss various broadband solutions for their schools. The meetings with AKRC team addressed their connectivity plans for their existing video conferencing and T1 connections that are presently in place in their office in Northwest Angle #37 territory. Denise Bluebird, the AKRC Education Advisor, is looking forward to seeing other member community schools connected so they are able to work with them on common issues and events.

The school in Big Grassy River First Nation is well outfitted with computer work stations. Their Public Library in the school also acts as their Community Access Centre. Their two-way satellite connection provides internet services for two computer labs and the computers in each of the classrooms. There are at least 30 computers in the school which serves about 60 students. Click here to see the pictures taken during this trip. The Pegamigaabo Elementary School staff created a web site at http://pegamigaabo.firstnationschools.ca/ a year ago. They also created an excellent on-line resource about their land claims negotiation and treaty information as part of Industry Canada's Digital Collections - http://bgfn.on.ca/index.html. The school internet connection also serves the local health centre through a DSL connection. This sharing of this resource makes their school very attractive for a broadband connection because then other groups in the community can help support the T1 service on an ongoing basis if the school subsidy under the First Nations SchoolNet ever ceases to exist.

Pictures of the school at Big Island First Nation are also available. The students and staff were on an outdoor adventure day so a visit to the band's new administration building proved valuable.

On November 6, 2004, Minister of Education Gerard Kennedy announced the Parent Voice in Education Project to give him advice on how to create an independent, representative province-wide parent voice. Twenty parent leaders, chosen to be as representative as possible of the parent constituencies in Ontario, came together to look at ways to increase parent involvement and participation in the education system at the local, regional and provincial levels.

A discussion paper was prepared, intended to provide ideas, points to consider, and possible models to review. It also contains questions on which they would like parents’ input. A link to it is below on this page.

This information has been circulated to school councils, principals, trustees, district school boards and other people interested in education. The deadline for responses has been extended into March. I encourage you to visit the different sections of the website to learn more about the Parent Voice in Education Project and about parental involvement.

The input the PVEP receives during this consultation process will be used to write recommendations for the Minister of Education by the end of March.

Among Ontario’s parents is a vast and largely untapped reserve of knowledge and experience. Everyone is invited to participate by sending us your ideas and suggestions.

Letter from the Minister of Education
Consultations and Discussion Paper - PDF
Response Form - MS Word
Response Form - On-line submission

News release and backgrounder - January 31, 2005

Latest news about the consultations

The Ontario First Nations Technical Services Corporation's Soar With Science road show came to Sioux Lookout on Thursday and Friday. Three shows were hosted for youth to learn about exciting career opportunities in science and technology.

Bob Loree, a retired engineer and Dr. Valerie Davidson, an internationally-recognized food and biological engineer presented the "Soar With Science" program at Sioux Mountain School on Thursday afternoon for the local students. That evening a second show was held for the public in the hope of attracting local youth from the high school or in the community to consider a career in Science and Technology. On Friday, the team attended the Pelican Falls First Nations High School Career Fair and did a third presentation for the students attending that school.

Two aboriginal women were introduced as science and technology roles models and spoke about their career paths and choices to enter into their respective fields. Carla Chisel, a Lac Seul First Nation member and former Sioux Lookout resident, returned to our community to speak about her education and career. Angela Crozier who is working with OFNTSC in Thunder Bay also shared information about herself and her career with the youth in attendance.

Newspaper coverage of the program is also available at http://chroniclejournal.com/story.shtml?id=25824. A Thunder Bay CBC radio interview with Valerie, Bob and Carla was also aired on Thursday afternoon. The "Soar with Science" presentation at the Keewaytinook Internet High School classroom at the Fort William First Nation Learning Centre was webcast and archived on-line.

K-Net Services participated in this year's Career Fair held at Pelican Falls First Nations High School in Sioux Lookout on Friday, February 18, 2005. Click here to see some pictures from this event.

Tom Meecham, Manager, Inherent Right Negotiations and  Ron Mavin, Senior Intergovernmental Affairs Officer, Indian and Northern Affairs, Governments Relations are travelling with Kevin Houghton to visit Keewaytinook Okimakanak programs across the north. Under the governance program, Keewaytinook Okimakanak worked with INAC in the development of a regional financial management strategy to better serve the needs of the KO First Nations. Kevin lead this initiative over the past fiscal year.

Tom and Ron wanted to meet with the KO leadership to discuss new opportunities for using the resources that KO has been able to put into place to deliver further support services for the KO member First Nations.

This morning, Jesse Terry wrote the following message from his six month placement with the Elba program in Finland ...

"spring will be coming around the same time as it does back home or just a little later.  The sea ice leaves in April, just like home. The Elba has canoes and does canoe programs which I will be a big part of.  So, am really looking forward to that.  As well, in the spring and summer, they have international camps, ranging from leadership to adventure activities, which I'll be working on.  Those I am really looking forward too!

So, glad you like the pics.  And, yes, its nice to be able to use a computer at work...

Jesse uses his web site at myknet.org to share his stories and experiences with his family and friends. Check it out at http://jesseterry.myknet.org. For more information about the international program that is sponsoring Jesse's work in Finland visit http://www.ghostriverrediscovery.com/ypi.htm

The family connections are maintained even at a distance with most members posting pictures and stories on their personal homepages. Carol Terry, Jesse's mother who is the Health Director at the Independent First Nations Alliance in Sioux Lookout, loves to use her site to share special pictures about family gatherings and adventures (http://carolterry.myknet.org). Cal Kenny, Jesse's older brother who works with Keewaytinook Okimakanak, produces some wonderful videos and stories that makes everyone want to return to this special place in the north (http://calkenny.myknet.org). Kanina, Jesse's sister who is living and working in Toronto, also maintains an "interesting" personal web site at http://kainaterry.myknet.org. Tom, Jesse's father, keeps talking about setting up a web site but always has something else to do with the folks in the north.

This is just one family's way of staying in touch using the internet. The MyKnet.org server had over 70 million hits in January alone, with an average of over 20 thousand VISITS DAILY in January. So we do know that youth and their families are on-line and using these communication tools!!

http://www.our-story.ca/index2.html

A challenge for Aboriginal youth (15 to 18 years of age) across the country to write a short story about a defining moment in Aboriginal history. Students will have the opportunity to win great prizes and be profiled on TV. 

This is a chance to educate Canadians about the moments that have shaped our country and its people from an Aboriginal perspective.

The deadline for submissions is May 6, 2005. An Advisory Committee of Aboriginal authors from across the country that includes authors Tantoo Cardinal and Lee Maracle will judge the submissions. The results of the contest will be announced on National Aboriginal Day, June 21st 2005.

Participants should read the Contest Rules in greater detail before applying and then Submit a Story following the submission process.

Prizes & Recognition:

First Place:

• The student with the first place entry will receive a $500 cash prize.
• The first place student will travel to Ottawa with a guardian to attend a special event and read an excerpt from his or her story to a group of Aboriginal leaders and authors.
• The first place student will be interviewed and profiled in a Canadian Learning Television and Book Television TV Feature.
• The First Place student will have an excerpt from his or her story published in the Beaver Magazine.

Top Ten Entries:

• Students who place in the top ten will receive a $200 cash prize.
• The top ten stories will be published on the Project Web site.
• The top ten students will receive a copy of the Our Story Publication (Doubleday Canada, 2004)

All Entries

• All participants will receive a Letter of Recognition from the Institute’s Director acknowledging their hard work and participation in the programme.

Contest Rules

Aboriginal Students are asked to pick a moment or period in Aboriginal history and create a fictional short story that is based on this history. The event selected should be tied to Canadian history and/or the participant’s ancestral history.

Entry is free for all participants. The prizes and the rules and regulations are outlined below. Participants should read the guidelines carefully and ensure that they submit all the requested material. For more information call 1-866-701-1867.

• Participants must be of Aboriginal ancestry (Status, Non-Status, Inuit and Métis).
• Participants must be between 15-18 years of age.
• Participants must be currently (at the time of entry) attending a Canadian high school or working toward a home school or long distance education equivalent.
• Participants will submit a Short Story that is previously unpublished and between 800-1400 words in length.
• Participants will also submit a 200-400 word Author’s Statement that explains the significance of the historical event/period in history selected.
• Participants will include a Letter of Support from a teacher, guidance counselor or community leader. The letter must include the educator’s or leader’s full name, address and phone number.
• Participants will include the following personal information in a covering letter or in the text of their e-mails (Name, Address, Phone Number, Grade Level and Age).

 Submit a Story

Participants should submit their entries (including the Short Story, Author’s Statement and Letter of Support) by midnight May 6, 2005. Participants can submit their entries by e-mail to staff@dominion.ca or by mail to the address below. The original Letter of Support must be sent by mail. All mail submissions should be postmarked no later than May 6, 2005.

Dominion Institute
183 Bathurst St., Suite 401
Toronto, Ontario
M5T 2R7
For more information call 1-866-701-1867.

Various international publications are highlighting some of Keewaytinook Okimakanak's work. Recent releases include:

• Community Informatics Research Network (CIRN), 2004 Colloquium and Conference Proceedings, Sustainability and Community Technology: What does this mean for Community Informatics? 29 September - 1 October 2004, Monash Centre, Prato, Italy. Contains a Jesse Fiddler's paper ... Walking the talk: Connecting remote Indigenous communities globally
  and Adam Fiser's Doctoral presentation ... ICTs for Education in Ontario First Nations
• The Journal of Community Informatics, No. 1, Vol. 2, winter 2005 issue (Sustainability and Community ICTS) contains Geordi Kakepetum's open letter to Prime Minister Paul Martin - Broadband connectivity in aboriginal communities
• Macromedia Case Study profiling the use of Breeze for the delivery of the Kuhkenah Smart International Conference - “The success of the Kuh-ken-ah Conference directly depended on our ability to deliver a platform that would work in some of the most remote areas on Earth, and Breeze delivered. Presenters were able to ramp up in no time, and it proved to be a flexible and effective way for other indigenous people to learn from one another. In the end, we were able to connect groups from as far away as Argentina, Guatemala, Australia, and Tanzania through Macromedia Breeze. It was a remarkable experience.” For the archived and final report information about this international conference visit http://smart.knet.ca/international

The Red Lake Indian Friendship Centre lays out the Red Carpet for Don Burnstick, Comedian.