1st Annual Little Band's Youth Hockey Tournament - Sioux Lookout Arena - January 25 & 26 , 2002

3 Divisions : Atom Division - 9-10 yrs old
                   Peewee Division - 11-12 yrs old
                   Bantam Division -13-14 yrs old

Limit to 4 Teams per Division                     $500.00 Entry Fee per Team
First Teams paid per Division            
Players must have status cards and consent forms from parents

Entry Fee deadline : December 13 , 2002
Certified cheques or Money Order Paid to : Little Band's Youth Hockey Tournament 2003

Contacts: Roy Anderson (807)737-4166 (h) after 5:00pm
               Steven Fiddler (807)737-2152 (h) after 5:00pm
               Ziggy Beardy   (807)737-3398 (h) after 5:00pm
               Raymond Beardy (807)737-1585 (work)

K-Net Staff Complete C-Band Earth Station Conversion to the Public Benefit Satellite Transponder

Working with our many partners over the past few months, the successful conversion of the satellite system providing broadband connectivity for the First Nations of Fort Severn and Slate Falls was completed o­n November 14, 2002. The first use of the new system was an IP telephone conversation between K-Net’s office and the Slate Falls Band office. The video conference link from Slate Falls and Fort Severn was also tested o­n the new system as the settings were adjusted to accommodate the newly installed Linkway equipment.

Several partners worked with Keewaytinook Okimakanak throughout this development project, ensuring that the existing service in the communities was maintained and supported. In particular, FedNor Telecommunications Officer Carl Seibel, the SSI Micro team lead by owner Jeff Philips, the Telesat Canada team, the Blair Electronics team, staff in the First Nations Fort Severn (Madeleine Stoney and Angus Miles), Slate Falls (Michael Loon), Webequie (Barney Beaver), Weagamow (Lyle Johnson), and Fort Hope, Shibogama First Nations Council (Bob Popovic), and Windigo First Nation Council (Ernie Buswa). This group of people worked along with the K-Net team consisting of Dan Pellerin (Network Manager), Adi Linden (Network Systems Analyst) and John Moreau (Helpdesk Manager) to make sure the conversion to the new system was smooth and trouble free. Three more satellite served sites (Cat Lake, Kasabonika Lake and Sachigo Lake) will soon be added to this new broadband service to complete this phase of the project development.

This opportunity became available back in February 2002 with the announcement that Industry Canada was entering into a partnership with Keewaytinook Okimakanak for K-Net Services to act as their agent in the management and development of the public benefit C-Band satellite transponder space being made available under agreement with Telesat Canada (see press release). In April 2002, after many meetings with various stakeholders, Keewaytinook Okimakanak hosted a meeting in Winnipeg with representatives from across Canada (see http://smart.knet.ca/satellite) to examine the different development options for this resource. Since that time, planning and construction work has been taking place in all these First Nations to ensure they would be able to access these broadband services before the winter months.

Another phase of development for this project will see other remote regions of Canada being served by this satellite system (in particular the Kativik Region in Northern Quebec o­n the northern shores of the Hudson Bay). As well, the other satellite served First Nations in Northwestern o­ntario (Muskrat Dam, Peawanack, Lansdowne House and Ogoki) are now searching for funds to become part of this network service.

Check out the pictures of the upgrade to the earth station in Sioux Lookout that provides connectivity into the Kuh-ke-nah Network via the fibre optic local loop construction project.

The November 14, 2002 issue of the Thunder Bay Chronicle Journal had an insert called "Aboriginal o­ntario - Open for Business". It contained more than 25 stories about Aboriginal businesses across o­ntario and the people involved in setting them up and operating them. All the articles are written by Rick Garrick (a Lac Seul band member living in Sioux Lookout). GREAT SUCCESS STORIES!! Lots of GREAT IDEAS!! And best of all it is available o­n-line at the Aboriginal o­ntario website.

Jamboree is set for November 22, 23 &24 2002.

Special guests include:

Roy Fiddler from Muskrat Dam, o­nt.
Jerome Harper from Winnipeg, Man.
Linda Beardy from Sioux Lookout, o­nt.
Abe Kakapetum from Sioux Lookout, O­nt.
Stillwater Gospel Band from Neskantaga First Nation.
Our local Neskantaga Gospel Singers.
And many many more to come.

For Further information, Please contact coordinators:
Edward Moonias - 807-479-2631 (h)
Duane Moonias - 807-479-1126 (h)
or call either o­ne of them at the band office, at 807-479-2570

Thank You / Miigwetch

Oshki-Pimache-O-Win Education and Training Institute and Lakehead University recognize the potential benefits of working together as partners in the development and delivery of post-secondary education and training programs for Aboriginal students.  Further, the partners recognize the independence and expertise of each partner, acknowledge the need for each partner to continue to honour its existing agreements with other organizations or entities, and its authority to enter into new agreements with other organizations and entities.

The purpose of this agreement is to develop a patnership that will enable Oshki-Pimache-O-Win and Lakehead University to enhance existing, and/or new, courses, programs and services and to provide additional educational opportunities to the student population served by each institute.  The partners will encourage excellence in learning so that the students jointly served may meaningfully contribute to society through the maximization of their individual personal potential.

For more information, please contact Ruth Baxter, Executive Director of Oshki-Pimache-O-Win Education and Training Institute at (807) 346-2770. Check out the pictures of the signing of the partnership agreement between Oshki and LU.

Innovation, partnerships, training, sharing and demonstrating new opportunities were key themes delivered by Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund staff and their partners during Small Business Week (the week of October 21 to 25). Some of the other key partners in this workshop included the First Nations, FedNor, NAN, K-Net and SLAAMB.

Rachel Garrick, an NADF Project Officer, approached K-Net staff with a proposal to use the broadband network to deliver a series of Small Business Development workshops for the Nishnawbe Aski Nation communities that have video conferencing facilities already established. Sites were identified with a number of partners (for example, in Sioux Lookout the SLAAMB board room was donated for local First Nation organizations and nearby communities), promotional material was distributed, training and planning was completed and all the different resource people were coordinated for this two day event that took place o­n October 24 and 25. Check out the Wawatay News story about this virtual workshop.

Pictures and more information about this event are also available at http://photos.knet.ca/NADF-workshop.

During the Keewaytinook Okimakanak's Board Meeting, the KO chiefs participated in SmartLabrador's Northern Solutions Conference o­n November 6, 2002 by video conference. The opportunity to share some of our stories, best practices and lessons learned with the folks involved in building the SmartLabrador initiative, "Technology o­n Top of the World".

A presentation entitled "Enabling Technology in Canadian Aborginal Communities" was prepared and delivered. Questions and responses provided everyone with the opportunity to learn about the power of these new communication tools and how we can easily connect with others. Check out the pictures of this session and the Chiefs' Board meeting at in the K-Net photo gallery.

Welcome to the first edition of the NAN Education Electronic Newsletter.

I hope that this provides you with some helpful information. Please feel free to comment. Are the stories too short? ... too long... any ideas that you might want to offer would be greatly appreciated...

If you would like to include any news, please email to me and I will include it in a future edition. I would like to thank Jim Teskey for the original suggestion to develop this...

Brian Walmark
NAN Education Advisor

The 4th annual Niigaantige Career Fair and Northwestern O­ntario Aboriginal Youth Achievement Awards was held in Thunder Bay o­n Oct. 30 - Nov.1, 2002. Students from across Northern O­ntario attended numerous workshops, Thunder Bay tours and a Halloween dance organized by Turtle Concepts from Sault Ste.Marie.

The Aboriginal Youth Achievement Awards winners included Roxanne Meawasige, Micheal Pelletier, Rachel Yesno, Conredge Solomon, Catherine Cheechoo, Derek Fox, Celine Favell, Sterlige Meshake, Christy Meeseetawageesic, Duane Moonias, Jasmine Landry, Conan Pitchenese, Keshatay Simon, Corey Wesley, Carla Chiesel, NaMichael Dube, Erin Bottle, Shawn Shabaquay, Phyrie Hook, and Tyler Ledger. Congratulations to all! Check out the pictures at http://photos.knet.ca/Niigaatige-Career-Fair

4th Annual 7th Generation Youth Hockey Tournament

January 23-26, 2003.

Thunder Bay Tournament Centre Fort William First Nation Arena

A Championship B Championship NEW "C Championship" NEW

TYKES 4, 5 & 6 yrs old

Fort WilliamGinoogaming

NOVICE 7-8 yrs old

Fort WilliamLac SeulEabametoongPic River
ATOM 9-10 yrs old

Fort WilliamConstance Lake
EabametoongKasabonika LakeBearskin LakeShoal LakeGrassy NarrowsGinoogaming Neskantaga
PEEWEE 11-12 yrs old

Fort WilliamBearskin LakeEabametoongLac SeulPic RiverLong LakeGinoogamingArolandCat LakeNibinamik
BANTAM 13-14 yrs old

Fort WilliamPic RiverWebequieNibinamikSlate FallsArolandAlberta team (is interested not confirmed yet)

"NEW"  MIDGET 15-17 yrs old  "NEW"

Fort WilliamPic RiverConstance LakeMcdowell LakeLac SeulFort HopeAlberta team (is interested not confirmed yet)

First 50 teams, registered and paid, due to lack of ice time.

Team Entry Deadline December 15, 2003
For more information:
Phone: 807-625-0327 Fax: 807-625-9303
website: www.eteamz.com/7thgeneration

MAJOR SPONSORS

Bearskin AirlinesWasaya AirwaysAnishinabek Employment & Training Services