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A new research network – RICTA - has now been created thanks in part to Keewaytinook Okimakanak. The network name is Research on ICT (information and communication technologies) with Aboriginal Communities. Brian Walmark, the KO Research Coordinator, is working with Susan O’Donnell, a Research Officer with the National Research Council - Institute for Information Technology and an Adjunct Professor at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, and others to establish RICTA. Together they prepared and were successful in accessing a SSHRC (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council) grant for $30,000 under the Strategic Research Clusters Design Grant to assist in establishing the RICTA network.

Everyone is invited to visit the new RICTA web site at http://ricta.ca

The first RICTA members include 24 social scientists from Canadian universities, three international researchers, nine community and government representatives, and one private sector representative.

For more KO research developments, visit the KO Research Institute web site at http://research.knet.ca

Consumer and Business Services Minister Jim Watson launched the new www.serviceontario.ca web site last week. The new site offers Ontarians (at least those with access to broadband) "one-stop access" to government services and information.

From the  IT World Canada article describing this announcement ...

Ontarians, said Watson, "can change their address on their driver's licence, register a business name, and plan an Ontario holiday all in one place."

Watson and Minister of Culture Madeleine Meilleur, who demonstrated ServiceOntario at the Toronto Reference Library, described the new portal as "the new face of government service delivery."

Simplicity, convergence and ease of use are the hallmarks of the new Web site.

By centralizing everything in one location, ServiceOntario eliminates the need to visit 200 Web sites, 70 call centres and over 1,500 counters to access information from three levels of government.

All it will take is a click – perhaps a few clicks – of the mouse to access relevant information and services.

And it gets even better.

"For those who don't have Internet access at home, public libraries offer free access. This reinforces their role as important neighbourhood hubs, helping to build strong and healthy communities," said Meilleur.

Here’s what individuals and business can currently access on ServiceOntario:

• Links to three new Ontario government Web sites: the Children's Information Portal, the Workplace Gateway, and the Women's Information Gateway;
• The ability to change or update the address on one’s health card, driver's licence and outdoors card;
• A treasure trove of information and resources for Ontarians during important life events, such as retirement or having a baby;
• Business tutorials on topics like How to Run a Construction Business, How to Start and Run a Tourism Business;
• Capabilities for registering or changing a business name online;
• More than 400 government forms classified under easy to understand topics and categories

ServiceOntario can be accessed at http://www.serviceontario.ca/

Of the 4,685 communities ranked in INAC's well-being index, 92 First Nations appear in the bottom 100! One First Nation community appears in the top 100 communities. Click here to read the Canada Newswire article.

INAC's First Nations Community Well-Being Index assesses quality of life based on indicators such as education, life expectancy and income (information can be found on-line at http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/pr/ra/pub4_e.html). The government study ranks 4,685 Canadian communities, including 541 First Nation communities.

In response to the INAC document, the Assembly of First Nations published a document called "Federal Government Funding to First Nations - The Facts, the Myths, and the Way Forward" - Click here to read this document

The fall 2004 issue of UPDATE, the quarterly "news of interest to Aboriginal people from the Government of Canada", contains a set of articles about education opportunities available for First Nation students. The first story, entitled "Connecting to a world of learning" describes the work of the Regional Management Organizations from Industry Canada's First Nations SchoolNet program. Click here to read the Update news on-line.

First Nation schools are now getting connected to broadband networks so they are able to access information and share resources using a variety of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs). Some of the teaching and learning tools now available in First Nation schools include:

• video conferencing - http://streaming.knet.ca/schoolnet
• web conferencing - http://breeze.knet.ca
• e-learning platforms - http://g8.firstnationschools.ca or http://kihs.knet.ca
• web site development tools - click here for example
• discussion forums, chat and e-mail services
• multi-media production tools (video, camera, scanner, printer, etc)
• helpdesk services
• broadband and high speed connectivity solutions
• professional development activities
• training and support services
• along with the networking and peer-to-peer work that happens once a school gets connected into a high quality network service.

For more information about the Ontario Regional Management Organization or for ICT support, contact:

• Keewaytinook Okimakanak, K-Net Office, Sioux Lookout, Toll-free 877-737-KNET (5638)
• Jeannie Carpenter, RMO Administrator, ext 51250
• Brian Beaton, RMO Coordinator, ext 51251
• John Moreau, K-Net Helpdesk, ext 51253
• Jamie Ray, K-Net Helpdesk, ext 51256
• Cal Kenny, Web Site Development, ext 51254
• Dan Pellerin, Network Manager, ext 51258
• Adi Linden, Systems Analysis, ext 51257
• Lars Dixon, Video Conferencing Bridge, ext 51264

The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is conducting another round of comprehensive studies for the long-term management of Used Nuclear Fuel in Canada.

The large ad in today's Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal asks, "How should Canada manage its used nuclear fuel in the future?" Now it has become Canada's problem. At least twenty-five years ago when they first were trying to get a town in Northern Ontario to consider taking their waste, the corporations that produced this deadly by-product accepted responsibility for needing to deal with it. Now organizations, like the Assembly of First Nations, are being funded to "educate" their members about this issue that is now being presented as "our problem".

The NWMO is hosting "Information and Discussion Sessions" in Thunder Bay, Kenora and Timmins this month where the public is invited. Registration is required for the follow up "discussion sessions". Click here to see the calendar of sessions

Everyone is invited to provide your views about how this waste material should be handled. One option that keeps being presented is to bury it in the Canadian Shield requiring complex transportation and disposal processes.

Click here to submit your suggestions to this issue. There are a number of ways listed at http://nwmo.ca for everyone to get involved in protecting the environment and our own back yards.

Oshki-Pimache-O-Win Education and Training Institute is now accepting registrations for the January 2005 Intakes for the following two programs being offered in partnership with Cambrian College

• First Nation Business Administration Certificate Program (Click here to read about the course information) - one year, 2 semester

• Native Early Childhood Education Diploma Program  (Click here to read about the course information) - two years, 4 semester

For further information contact:

Jacqueline Garwood
(807) 346-2779, 866-636-7454 (toll free) or (807) 345-2924 (fax)

Register Now !!
Time is Running Out !!

For the past year or so, Pikangikum has undergone a huge change for the better. Our Lord Jesus Christ has blessed the youth in our community with spiritual gifts and is empowering our youth. Almost everyday, we hear someone getting saved by giving their life to Jesus. It is just awesome how the numbers are growing.

It has come to a point where the church where these youth meet almost every night has become too small to hold all of the youth. There are times when some people simply return home due to the lack of adequate space. It has come to the point where we need a bigger space to meet. It has been prophesied numerous times to us that outside help was going to come in and assist us in getting a bigger place to have church because more young people are on their way.

The youth of the church with the assistance of the church elders are going to try and raise money to put a down payment on a bigger place. We will kindly accept financial contributions made by anyone who's heart is in helping the youth of our community.

AND ALSO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR OUR RADIO BROADCAST COMING UP IN THE NEW YEAR.

You can email me if you have any questions or comments right here on K-Net at samsonkeeper@knet.ca.

Neskantaga will be hosting a Sobriety Pow Wow on November 19 - 21, 2004

The purpose of the pow-wow include:

• to celebrate sobriety and healthy lifestyles;
• to raise awareness on addictions and substance abuse;
• to promote personal and community healing;
• to encourage and enable people to continue their wholistic healing journey phsically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually; and
• to celebrate and validate our culture.

For those that will be coming in to our community, we encourage you to contact us so we can make appropriate local transportation and accommodation arrangments.

The airport is approximately 10km from the community. We do not want anyone to be stranded at the airport.

Committe:

Neskantaga Health and Social Services

Coordinators

• Bill Mequanawap, Community Resource Worker (807) 479 2530 billmequanawap922@hotmail.com
• Kelvin Moonias, Recreation Worker (807) 479 2570 kelvimmoonias@knet.ca
• Chris Moonias, Health and Social Services Director (807) 479 1152 chrismoonias@knet.ca

This event is sponsored by Neskantaga Otaminoweshonia Cultural Projects and Health & Social Services.