The AFN’s web page on the e-Community strategy and a PowerPoint presentation from the National First Nations Infrastructure Conference & Tradeshow from February 2014 provide an overview of the initiative.
The e-Community strategy encompasses five broad themes: capacity building; broadband infrastructure and connectivity; human resources; information management; and service delivery. To ensure that First Nations have control over broadband development, the AFN proposed that First Nations communities and organizations oversee the public funding involved in this work. The e-Community model also outlined minimum standards, such as broadband (preferably fibre) connections and local ICT staff.
The following descriptions of the different components of the e-Community strategy are taken from Judy Whiteduck’s 2010 book chapter (pp.98-101).
- Capacity Development. First Nation capacities are required for new and existing infrastructure and institutions to support stable operations and management. First Nations must be included in program and policy development, and decision-making regarding e-Community initiatives.
- Connectivity. Future levels of service requirements and the ability to manage and transfer information based on key service points in a community need to be based on adaptable, scalable, sustainable, and affordable systems. First Nation connectivity issues include bandwidth guarantees that enable them to control information flows and determine how available resources are managed and utilized.
- ICT Human Resources Development. As First Nation governments are developing infrastructure, they require specialists to support local and regional systems.
- Information Management. First Nations require the capacity to manage data and information, including the development of local and regional ICT systems to maintain, transfer, and store aspects of these services.
- Service Delivery and Partnering. First Nations are identifying partnering opportunities with private sector and other partners to develop local and regional e-community opportunities. These partnerships must provide explicit support for local innovation, priorities, and needs. Partners can identify and respond to economic, environmental, and social well-being.