Series on Indigenous Issues and Initiatives:
Presentation of May 16, 2016 – CLICK HERE FOR A PDF COPY OF THE PRESENTATION
Hi Everyone,
Together with John Graham of Patterson Creek Consulting and Canada’s Public Policy Forum, I am pleased to invite you to a discussion session featuring Tim Whiteduck and Susan O’Donnell of the First Mile Connectivity Consortium (FMCC). The session will take place on Monday, May 16 from 12:30 to 2:00 pm at the PPF offices at Suite 1405, 130 Albert Street.
The First Mile Connectivity Consortium: Telecommunications policy and regulations to support remote and rural Indigenous communities
Telecommunication networks support many economic, social and cultural activities as well as a range of public and community services. The presenters will address how remote Indigenous communities are adopting digital technologies for community, social and economic development. They will describe a “whole community approach,” arguing that this approach will help researchers and policy makers understand how technologies are adopted in indigenous communities and how best to support their further development and deployment.
The presentation will then focus on the history and activities of the First Mile Connectivity Consortium (FMCC), a national non-profit organization representing Indigenous broadband service providers and academic research associates. A major activity of the FMCC has been to ask how federal regulators and policy-makers can shape the future development of broadband networks so that remote Indigenous communities are properly connected.
The FMCC’s analysis will be based on FMCC interventions to the Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission (in particular the April 2016 Basic Service Objective hearings on broadband), submissions to Industry Canada, and research for Innovation, Science and Economic Development.
Tim Whiteduck, the FMCC Chair, is Director of Technology for the First Nations Education Council (FNEC) based in Wendake First Nation, Quebec. FNEC represents and serves 22 First Nations communities in Quebec. FNEC aims to achieve full jurisdiction over education while “respecting our unique cultural identities and common beliefs, and promoting our languages, values and traditions.” A core element of this vision is to use technology effectively to support the autonomy and democratic development of First Nations communities. Tim and his team have been working with the First Nations, as their intermediary organization, developing strategic partnerships to design and install community broadband infrastructure, deliver online and IT training programs, and support the delivery and engagement of broadband-enabled community services including education, health and many others.
Susan O’Donnell, the FMCC Vice-Chair, is a Researcher and Adjunct Professor in the UNB Department of Sociology. She has been researching the social, community and political aspects of digital technologies and communications since 1995. Susan is the lead investigator of the SSHRC-funded First Nations Innovation research project with three First Nation and three university partners (New Brunswick, Laval, Alberta). She has conducted research in Canada and Ireland and for the European Commission. Prior to her research career, Susan was a senior editorial consultant in Ottawa specializing in Indigenous issues, including work with the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples and the Assembly of First Nations. Dr. O’Donnell has a PhD from Dublin City University.
As ever, there is no charge for attending this event. However, space is limited so please email me promptly if you wish to attend.
We look forward to seeing you at this session.
Jodi Bruhn, PhD
Director / Directrice
Stratéjuste Canada
cell: 613-863-4014