FMCC members present at Pacific Telecommunications Council conference

Posted on January 24, 2017January 24, 2017 by robmcmahon

Rob McMahon and Heather Hudson presented at this year’s Pacific Telecommunications Council (https://council.ptc.org/ptc17/) conference in Honolulu, HI on January 15 to 18. The session, entitled “Policy and Regulation” included a discussion about the FMCC’s efforts at the recent CRTC hearings on the Basic Service Objective, including our proposals to address digital divide challenges in remote and rural regions. The description[…]

First Mile representative meets with Matawa First Nations broadband team

Posted on January 17, 2017January 22, 2017 by brianbeaton

Brian Beaton met today (Tuesday, January 17, 2017) via videoconference with the Matawa First Nations broadband team during their meetings in Thunder Bay. Brian introduced the Matawa team to the work of the First Mile Connectivity Consortium. Discussions included: introductions Description of the work being undertaken by the Matawa First Nations broadband team What is[…]

A First Mile Response to CBC Opinion piece on CRTC BSO decision

Posted on December 28, 2016December 4, 2017 by brianbeaton

In response to Saadia Muzaffar’s opinion piece on CBC’s web site at http://www.cbc.ca/news/opinion/broadband-basic-service-1.3913627 –What good is declaring broadband a ‘basic service’ without regulating retail prices? Without affordability thresholds, there’s no guarantee that access in vulnerable communities will improve .. Brian Beaton wrote this First Mile response: IT IS THE FIRST STEP in a very long process .. It has taken[…]

Feb 2017 — National First Nations eHealth Conference & Manitoba First Nations ICT Summit

Posted on December 23, 2016December 27, 2016 by robmcmahon

FMCC member organization Nanaandawewigamig (First Nation Health and Social Secretariat of Manitoba) is hosting two upcoming conferences on First Nations ICT initiatives: Nanaandawewigamig will be hosting the 1st ever in Canada: National First Nations eHealth Conference on February 6 to 7, 2017, and following with our 2ND Annual Manitoba First Nations ICT Summit on February 8[…]

FMCC Press Release on CRTC Decision supporting First Nations Digital Innovation

Posted on December 22, 2016January 4, 2017 by brianbeaton

First Mile Connectivity Consortium PO Box 104 Fredericton, NB E3B 4Y2 http://www.firstmile.ca Telephone toll free: 1-877-737-5638 extension 4522 Click here for a French copy of the press release PDF of this FMCC press release Also posted in NATIONTALK.ca FMCC Media Release New CRTC ‘Basic Service Objective’ Decision Supports First Nations Digital Innovation December 22, 2016[…]

FMCC and FNI receive Award of Excellence from Canadian Race Relations Foundation

Posted on October 28, 2016September 5, 2017 by brianbeaton

Good afternoon! I’m excited to announce that last night, the First Mile Connectivity Consortium and First Nations Innovation project received an Award of Excellence (Aboriginal Category) from the Canadian Race Relations Foundation. Here’s the text from the Award Program: Working together to change digital policy to support Indigenous broadband at the First Mile, First Mile Connectivity[…]

FMCC members present at Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation conference

Posted on October 21, 2016December 27, 2016 by brianbeaton

Susan O’Donnell and Brian Beaton delivered presentations at this year’s Canadian Rural Revitalization Foundation (http://crrf.ca) conference in Guelph, ON on October 12 to 15. The session, entitled “Technology in Rural, Northern & Aboriginal Communities” included a discussion about the ISED report completed by the FMCC team in January 2016 and a description of the First[…]

FMCC Team Presents at World Forum on Free Media Conference

Posted on September 15, 2016December 27, 2016 by brianbeaton

The First Mile team is busy spreading the news about First Nations digital innovation across Canada! This summer, three delegates from the First Mile Connectivity Consortium (FMCC) traveled to Montreal to present their work at an international conference. Denise Williams from the First Nations Technology Council (B.C.) joined Bill Murdoch from the First Nations Health and Social Secretariat[…]

FNI / FMCC / MWC represented at SSHRC workshop – Leveraging Emerging Technologies for the Benefit of Canadians

Posted on May 23, 2016December 27, 2016 by brianbeaton

Report on Susan and Brian’s participation at SSHRC’s Imagining Canada’s Future knowledge workshop on Leveraging Emerging Technologies for the Benefit of Canadians. As a result of David Perley’s successful Knowledge Synthesis project entitled “Supporting Indigenous Resurgence with Digital Technologies”, we were invited to attend this SSHRC workshop with other project participants. The agenda is a good indicator[…]

FMCC Responses to the undertakings for CRTC BSO hearings submitted

Posted on May 10, 2016December 27, 2016 by brianbeaton

Rob McMahon, FMCC Coordinator, successfully filed the First Mile Connectivity Consortium undertakings requested by the CRTC commissioners. These undertakings were made during the presentation by FMCC members to the CRTC Basic Services Objectives hearings on April 11, 2016 Click here for a PDF copy of the FMCC undertakings filed on May 5.