ICTs at Work in Remote and Rural Communities Brian Beaton, K-Net Services Coordinator

1. Building Sustainable Broadband Community Networks in Remote and Rural First Nations The Importance of the Digital Economy in Remote and Rural Communities Brian Beaton, K-Net Services Coordinator brian.beaton@knet.ca Ontario Digital Economy Conference October 2, 2008 – Huntsville, Ontario ICTs at Work in Remote and Rural Communities Brian Beaton, K-Net Services Coordinator brian.beaton@knet.ca Connect NWT Symposium February 6, 2006 - Yellowknife, NWT http://knet.ca

3. THE PEOPLE and THE COMMUNITIES http://photos.knet.ca http://streaming.knet.ca/RMO_trailer_high.wmv

4. Key Challenges and Issues ... http://knet.ca/NW-report.htm “From Potential to Practice: Telecommunications & Development in the Nishnawbe-Aski Nation” Capacity Building Local Area and Municipal Area Networking K-Net e-Mail Account Penetration Community Access to the Internet Website Utilization Helpdesk Services Network Design and Strategy Development Affordable Network Access Growth in Digital Service in First Nations

5. Historical Highlights … Wawatay Native Communications Society – establishing the environment for effective IT use – http://www.wawatay.on.ca Industry Canada’s MSAT / DirecPC Pilot Projects (1998) – First Nations SchoolNet, Community Access Program and FedNor – http://streaming.knet.ca/ConnectingFirstNations.wmv Industry Canada’s Smart Communities Demonstration project (1999) – http://smart.knet.ca Industry Canada’s National Broadband Task Force (2001) – http://broadband.gc.ca

6. Building the network … 1994 - 1999 http://knet.ca/nslstory/story1.html 1998 - 2000 http://knet.ca/keewaywintelecomm 2000 – Community Satellite installs 2001 Cable Plant Installs http://tech.knet.ca/photos http://tech.knet.ca/photos/fortsevernvsat 2002 Sioux Lookout Fiber 2004 7.4 meter earth station install http://streaming.knet.ca/satellite_large.wmv http://tech.knet.ca/photos/satellite

8. ESTABLISHING MINIMUM LEVEL OF SERVICE … • Planning for ICTs in remote communities through effective community consultation - http://smart.knet.ca/archive/fsworkshop • Accessing sufficient bandwidth required to support two way symmetrical video conferencing • Partnering with the telecommunication providers, other communities and organizations to invest in adequate infrastructure • Fundraising efforts with different levels of government as well with the various departments and agencies • Expanding the network and services within a manageable and cooperative environment

9. ESTABLISHING CREDIBILITY WITH INDUSTRY and GOVERNMENT … • Working with strong leadership who understand the need for these tools in their communities • Improvising using available tools - eg MSAT / DirecPC / HSI networks before infrastructure was in place • Making mistakes (good ones) and learning from them • Getting lots of “no’s” but willing to work with partners to learn with us • Transferring and sharing what is learned to other First Nations and organizations • Focusing on building human networks to support technological ones

10. Building Sustainability and Interoperability … • Planning networks in isolation from community networks results in many “thin” pipes serving communities • Sharing existing resources and services required in small communities

12. Challenges and Issues Summary … • Having a local champion who knows the community and who is trusted and respected to share information and developments • Learning about the various options concerning infrastructure and application providers (there are lots of choices out there) • Deciding what applications are needed & why, requires lots of planning providing opportunities for community engagement • Finding the right partners, especially the local and regional organizations and groups who share similar goals and needs • Taking the first steps, for example, setting up a public access site so the community can learn about on-line services & applications • Searching for similar models and communities who are willing to share their stories and experiences • Being willing to take risks knowing that mistakes might be made but that corrective actions can be taken along the way • Working together to aggregate the local demand saves dollars, sustains the community network, and contributes to a strong, healthy and prosperous rural sector for all

13. Community Applications - TELEHEALTH … • Challenges • Staffing • Training • Partnerships • Traditional health care practices • Online Resources • http://telehealth.knet.ca and http://telehealth.knet.ca/report/ • Turning the Corner with First Nations Telehealth position paper • http://knet.ca/documents/KOTelehealth-Position-Paper-May2005.pdf • http://streaming.knet.ca/fednor/health_300k.wmv (3:29 min) • Case Study on Health - http://smart.knet.ca/flash/eng/pdf/health.pdf • http://streaming.knet.ca/telehealth/consult_part3_300k.wmv • Teleradiology - http://streaming.knet.ca/teleradiology_300k.wmv • Telehealth information videos • http://telehealth.knet.ca/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=507

14. Community Application – E-LEARNING … • Challenges • Traditional institutional attitudes • Legacy of Residential Schools • Local support systems and programs for youth • Equivalent resources (funding, counseling, etc) • Online Resources • http://kihs.knet.ca and http://g8.firstnationschools.ca • Open Source e-learning platform development – http://moodlefn.firstnationschools.ca • KIHS information video - http://streaming.knet.ca/KiHS/KiHS_300k.wmv • Case Study on Education - http://smart.knet.ca/flash/eng/pdf/education.pdf • Youth Employment Training - http://streaming.knet.ca/schoolnet/youth_training_300k.wmv • Residential School Gatherings video material - http://piiwaseya.knet.ca, http://streaming.knet.ca/pelican_falls_300k.wmv • Sharing our ICT stories – http://streaming.knet.ca/schoolnet_300k.wmv • Poplar Hill Grade 8 video - http://streaming.knet.ca/international/poplar_hill_300k.wmv

15. Other Applications – RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT • Challenges • True partnerships with institutions • Establishing credibility • Defining clear goals and services • Fundraising with competitive and well-funded institutions • Online Resources • http://research.knet.ca, http://cracin.ca and http://ricta.ca • “Turning the Corner – Using Broadband Effectively in Canada’s North” (May 2005) - http://streaming.knet.ca/turning_the_corner_high.wmv • Keewaytinook Okimakanak C-Band Satellite Public Benefit Report (March 2005) - http://research.knet.ca/images/upload/05-03-29-Summative-Overview-C-Band-Public-Benefit-KNet1[1].pdf • "The K-Net Story - Weaving the Networked Economy in Kuhkenah First Nation Communities" (Dec 2004) - http://smart.knet.ca/fednor_video_list.html • Smart Communities project evaluation – http://smart.knet.ca/evaluation • The K-Net Development Process: A Model for First Nations Broadband Community Network (2005) – • http://research.knet.ca/images/upload/K-NetTPRC05[1].pdf

16. Building LOCAL Relationships … • Creating a culture of change that supports open, transparent and innovative social and economic opportunities and ways of doing business as well as delivering services to others • Investing in local businesses, people and infrastructure instead of spending scarce resources outside the community results in construction, maintenance and sustainable local networks • Developing long term strategies and solutions that support local employment, new businesses, services and partnerships • Listening carefully to our children and youth for directions that provide them with the choices to stay or return home • Finding government champions, policies, programs and agents that respect and understands the unique needs of small communities • Avoiding corporate and institutional sustainability strategies that require dependencies and consumptive behaviours from their clients resulting in all the resources leaving the community • Changing traditional business, sales and management strategies to support local and distributed online practices AN OPEN INVITATION TO ONE and ALL TO VISIT US IN SIOUX LOOKOUT…