FMCC is participating in CRTC 2017-112 “Development of the Commission’s broadband funding regime”. These public proceedings examine matters related to the establishment of the broadband funding regime, including its governance, operating, and accountability frameworks, as well as eligibility and assessment criteria for proposed projects. For more information, the public notice is posted here. FMCC is seeking means[…]
Sharing this announcement from our colleagues at the 1st-Mile Institute in Santa Fe. **************** Indigenous Connectivity Summit Save the date: November 8 to 9, 2017 The Internet is a hallmark of human innovation, but many Indigenous communities lack basic connectivity. Internet access is increasingly a lifeline to health, education and economic development for rural and remote Indigenous[…]
On July 17-20, 2017, Piikani community members and First Mile researchers held a 3-day Piikani Cultural and Digital Literacy Camp focused on the community’s Past, Present and Future. Grade 9 students learned Blackfoot culture while camping on the land. They documented camp activities using digital video cameras, which was an entry point to learn about[…]
Researchers working with the First Nations Innovation and First Mile project have published an article about Indigenous approaches to digital literacies in the Engaged Scholar Journal. The article is titled: Indigenizing Digital Literacies: Community Informatics Research with the Algonquin First Nations of Timiskaming and Long Point. It focuses on two community-based research projects in Quebec that[…]
A team of First Mile partners including Penny Carpenter from K-Net Services, Tim Whiteduck from First Nations Education Council (FMCC Chair), Dr. Heather Hudson and Dr. Rob McMahon travelled to Ottawa on June 15-17 to participate in the Indigenous Radio National Conference at the University of Ottawa. The presentations and notes about the conference will[…]
Last week the Gwich’in Tribal Council’s Department of Cultural Heritage (GTC) hosted a day-long workshop on Digital Content and Connectivity in Gwich’in communities. This pilot was designed by GTC staff and partners from the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Extension and the First Mile Connectivity Consortium. The team included Dr. Rob McMahon and Master of Arts[…]
FMCC Research Associate, Professor Heather Hudson, presented at the Partnership for Progress on the Digital Divide (PPDD) conference. The conference on was held in San Diego on May 24 and 25, scheduled to precede the International Communication Association (ICA) conference. Heather reports that our session had a small but enthusiastic group in the audience, and time for[…]
People living in Canada’s Northern territories are engaged in a number of community-driven broadband projects – those these efforts face challenges of affordability and local infrastructure capacity. On April 6-7, FMCC coordinator and University of Alberta researcher Rob McMahon travelled to Whitehorse, YK to learn about these initiatives, and to give a public presentation at Yukon[…]
The First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC) held a conference from March 28-30 called “First Nations Data Governance: Tools for Empowerment”. FMCC coordinator and University of Alberta researcher Rob McMahon travelled to Gatineau, QC to give two presentations at the event. The conference showcased the work of a range of participants, from First Nations community leaders, data[…]
For individuals or groups working in the areas of community, rural and remote broadband and community informatics or working with communities on broadband related matters, a community broadband guide has recently been developed for use in communities across Alberta, though much of the information may be relevant in other jurisdictions. Understanding Community Broadband: The Alberta[…]