First Nations Innovation - Publications

Conference Papers and Proceedings
#55 (2013)

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Publication #55 2013, October - Shaping First Nation broadband policy in Canada: Indigenous community intermediary organizations in the age of austerity

Reference: McMahon, R., Whiteduck, T., Beaton, B. (2013) Shaping First Nations broadband policy in Canada: Indigenous community intermediary organizations in the age of austerity. World Social Science Forum, Montreal, QC, Canada. October.

Abstract: Politically autonomous First Nations have set up organizations that mediate their relationships with federal and provincial governments. These regional organizations have a broad mandate that includes technology as one component of their work. In this paper, we frame these organizations as ‘community intermediaries’ and demonstrate how one of their functions is to act as a bridge between remote First Nations and various federal and provincial government agencies. These intermediary organizations operate complex digital networks and applications while supporting their First Nation constituents to assert self-determined development goals in a complicated and dynamic multi-stakeholder environment.