[Advisors] Report of meeting -- InCan - Dec. 8

[Brian Beaton]

Thanks for this report Marita and thanks for continuing the good fight!!

I found your report on the meeting with this fellow from Industry Canada =
to
be quite informative about the attitude and lack of direction that this
government has for anything to do with communities and probably =
EVERYTHING
that is outside of their comfort zone of big industry, cities and
comfortable concrete, high rise lifestyles.

When he talks about "losing" the program title of CAP without any
suggestions, it made me wonder if there is anything that we might come =
up
with that would ever accommodate their "vision" or lack there of for =
support
online accessibility for all ... how about online accessibility service
systems (ASS). It helps to describe this bureaucracy and their attitudes
towards anything that they have no knowledge or interest about.

On another note, at last week's gathering of the Assembly of First =
Nations,
the First Nation leaders did pass another resolution supporting the
development of the e-Community strategy ... here is a copy of the draft
resolution that was moved forward ...

TITLE:	First Nations e-Community strategy

WHEREAS:
A.	The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
(UNDRIP) states in Article 20::  =93Indigenous Peoples have the right to
maintain and develop their political, economic and social systems or
institutions, to be secure in the enjoyment of their own means of
substistence and development, and to engage freely in all their =
traditional
and other economic activities.
B.	Broadband connectivity and integrated Information Communication
Technology (ICT) services are essential to providing First Nations with =
the
economic, social and cultural capacity to support new opportunities and
developments locally, regionally and internationally;
C.	The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) resolution 16/2008 passed in
July 2008 mandates the AFN National Technical Working Group to develop =
and
implement an ICT Strategic Plan that will address broadband =
connectivity,
technical and service management, capacity development, hardward and
software, and information management to service First Nations in Canada. =
=20
D.	Work had been conducted on an ICT Strategic Plan that adovcates and
supports a First Nations e-Community model that is driven, owned and
controlled by First Nations, and which identified strategic priorities =
on
Infrastrucuture; Connectivity, Human Resources and Infrastructure.
E.	In order to complete a comprehensive ICT Strategic plan, more
in-depth analysis and research is required on each of the strategic
priorities as well as considering inclusion of: date management; First
Nations engagement when considering new national approaches to =
connectivity;
and,  the role of the corporate community in connectivity.
F.	First Mile Connectivity Consortium work celebrates Inuit and First
Nation successes in building, owning, controlling and accessing =
community
and regional IT networks and applications.  The report  =93Putting the
last-mile first:  Re-framing Broadband Development in First Nations and
Inuit Communities=94 has been produced by the First Mile research =
project and
is complementary and supportive of the AFN ICT work.
G.	The Federal Government introduced the Digital Economy Strategy for
Canada and the wireless spectrum auction with minimal dialogue and input
from First Nations.=20
H.	Ongoing work is required on the development of connectivity
strategies and program design within the federal government in order =
that
First Nation e-Community needs are appropriately considered, supported,
funded and addressed.
I.	Recently, some First Nations connectivity projects have encountered
substantial delays over the Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development
Canada (AANDC) requirements to obtain Section 28(2) permits for
non-exclusive land use, allowing for third party infrastructure to be =
placed
upon a reserve.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Chiefs-in-Assembly:
1.	Affirm that Canada and industry must consult with and include First
Nations in the  development of national and regional approaches to
connectivity.
2.	Reaffirm their strong support for the continued development and
advocacy of a First Nations e-community strategy by the AFN National ICT
Working Group.
3.	Direct the AFN to include the advice and expertise of ICT
specialists, researchers, and legal advisors which strongly inform and
complement the work of the AFN, and require that they report to the =
Chiefs
Committee on Economic Development as the mandated body to provide =
guidance
on the development of an e-community strategy for First Nations.
4.	Direct the AFN to include important data policy and management
considerations as part of the strategy development and continue to work =
with
the First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC), and First =
Nations
Statistical Institute (FNSI) while promoting and adhering to the =
principals
of Ownership, Control, Access and Possession (OCAP).
5.	Direct the AFN to work with regional organizations to share work
done on the development of =91tools of governance=92 =96 systems to =
manage First
Nations lands and resources, services, people and finances so that =91an
investment in one First Nation will be an investment in all First =
Nations=92
6.	Direct the AFN to urge Canada to ensure First Nation regional and
local ICT infrastructure are sustainable through new and ongoing core
funding.

Brian Beaton, K-Net Coordinator
Keewaytinook Okimakanak
Box 1439, 115 King Street
Sioux Lookout, ON, P8T 1B9
T: 807-737-1135 x1251
M: 807-216-5216
F: 807-737-1720
IP and ISDN video conferencing
E: brianbeaton@knet.ca
W: http://knet.ca=20

-----Original Message-----
From: advisors-admin@tc.ca [mailto:advisors-admin@tc.ca] On Behalf Of =
Marita
Moll
Sent: December-12-11 7:16 PM
To: advisors@tc.ca
Subject: [Advisors] Report of meeting -- InCan - Dec. 8


Report of the meeting at Industry Canada, December 8, 2011.

Participants:

Bruce Winchester, head policy advisor to the Minister of Industry
Marita Moll, Telecommunities Canada
Darlene Thompson, Telecommunities Canada and the Government of Nunavut
Monique Chartrand, Communautique
Patrick Dub=E9, Communautique & Living Labs

This meeting was scheduled to last about 45=20
minutes.  In fact, it lasted almost two hours =96 a=20
huge amount of one-on-one time with someone at=20
that level. We are not sure what it was in our=20
letter that piqued his curiosity.  He did=20
indicate that he usually only met with the big players =96 Bell, Rogers, =
etc.

Mr. Winchester was extraordinarily candid with=20
us.  This was certainly not a session in which we=20
were listened to politely, patted on the head and=20
sent on our way. From the beginning, he engaged=20
with us constantly at the very practical level =96=20
sometimes even trying to draw us into=20
conversations about other current online issues=20
we were not there to talk about =96 e.g.  broadband=20
in rural communities, the value of satellite=20
connections, the economy in northern areas,=20
etc.  But we had assumed correctly that=20
presenting well documented projects with proven=20
economic value would be the only way to hold the=20
attention of someone in this government.

On the negative side, he was quite clear about=20
how the department felt about this program =96 it=20
didn=92t belong there, it was outside of the=20
mandate, etc. etc.  He volunteered that the=20
department had tried to get the regional=20
development agencies to take it over =96 but that=20
these agencies had declined to take on what they=20
called an =93unfunded mandate.=94 One of the first=20
things he said was =93You=92ve got to lose that name,=20
for starters!=94  There were some suggestions that=20
the lingering perception of this program was that=20
it was more of a social service than an economic=20
driver.  We said that we were there to change=20
that =96 to tell some of the stories that rarely=20
made it to his level.  Darlene Thompson and=20
Patrick Dub=E9, who spoke about northern projects=20
and the =93living labs=94 experiments in Montreal=20
respectively were right on their game. And Mr.=20
Winchester became more and interested in the=20
possibilities that were presented.

One of the lasting comments, for me, was =93You=20
folks need a champion.=94  Of course, he wasn=92t=20
volunteering to take that on.  It was pretty=20
clear to us that the department had no intention=20
of renewing this program.  So that leaves the=20
question, why did he meet with us at all?

Perhaps our good news stories are getting out=20
there.  Even this government needs good news=20
stories =96 small, innovative, creative, locally generated projects.

The meeting ended on a positive note.  Darlene=20
had brought pre-print copies of the book of=20
exemplary projects she has been working on with=20
Clarice for the last few years.  I also had a=20
copy of a booklet of short (one pager) CAP=20
stories.  So we left him with some tangible evidence.

  Final comments:  We do think a spark may have=20
been ignited =96 we are not sure how to keep it going.

Marita, Darlene, Monique and Patrick.


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