Introducing the e-Community Strategy
In a 2010 paper, the director of economic development at the Assembly of First Nations outlined the e-Community strategy (Whiteduck, 2010). In her paper, Judy Whiteduck points out that Canada needs to maintain a skilled work force, and notes that First Nations can help fill that gap, particularly in the field of ICTs. She also points out that First Nation governments require a skilled public service, comparable to those in federal and provincial agencies. Employees need access to training and up-to-date equipment, and a means to manage their data resources. You can read Judy’s article here.
The e-Community Strategy is the result of years of work. The initiative began in 2002, when the Chiefs-in-Assembly at the AFN directed their representatives to advocate government for funding to support broadband operations and management. In 2005, KO-KNET introduced the e-Community concept as a means to frame this work. At that time the organization was completing a SMART Communities Demonstration project with Industry Canada. That project – the only Aboriginal-led SMART Communities project in Canada – focused on developing public-service oriented online applications, including e-learning, e-health, and e-governance. When the Prime Minister of Canada visited the region that spring, representatives from KO-KNET presented him with a briefing package introducing this e-Community work. They proposed to create, operate and manage a suite of e-applications for remote and rural First Nations.
The following year the AFN’s Chiefs Committee on Economic Development, which involved ICT experts from across Canada, held a workshop to discuss next steps. Participants noted that Chiefs-in-Assembly resolutions dating from 1997 to 2006 identified gaps in service support, funding, coordination, data management, and infrastructure. To help address these issues, the participants began to define a national broadband framework modeled on the e-Community strategy.
In 2008, the group presented this framework to the Chiefs-in-Assembly as the national e-Community strategy. The Chiefs endorsed the plan in AFN Resolution 16-2008. With financial support from the federal government, the AFN held a second meeting of the ICT Working Group. They identified several areas to include in the national framework, including infrastructure, sustainability, operations, management, and other issues of importance. During follow-up meetings, the ICT working group developed the concept, stressing the need to foreground a community-based development process. The group used the First Nations SchoolNet program as a model for the proposed e-Community initiative, expanding it to areas of health, economics, governance, justice, and other community services.
The e-Community strategy was re-affirmed in AFN Resolution 2011-09/53-2011. That resolution noted that national research partnerships can monitor, evaluate, and explore the effective use of ICTs in First Nations communities. The resolution also noted that the e-Community strategy is compatible with a First Mile approach, stressing the opportunity for First Nations to own, control and manage their local broadband infrastructure, and the services and data flowing through their local networks. Policies to support a First Mile approach include supporting community members to use these technologies effectively, and ensuring they have the capacities to do so.
In a 2010 paper, the director of economic development at the Assembly of First Nations outlined the e-Community strategy (Whiteduck, 2010). In her paper, Judy Whiteduck points out that Canada needs to maintain a skilled work force, and notes that First Nations can help fill that gap, particularly in the field of ICTs. She also points out that First Nation governments require a skilled public service, comparable to those in federal and provincial agencies. Employees need access to training and up-to-date equipment, and a means to manage their data resources. You can read Judy’s article here.
The e-Community Strategy is the result of years of work. The initiative began in 2002, when the Chiefs-in-Assembly at the AFN directed their representatives to advocate government for funding to support broadband operations and management. In 2005, KO-KNET introduced the e-Community concept as a means to frame this work. At that time the organization was completing a SMART Communities Demonstration project with Industry Canada. That project – the only Aboriginal-led SMART Communities project in Canada – focused on developing public-service oriented online applications, including e-learning, e-health, and e-governance. When the Prime Minister of Canada visited the region that spring, representatives from KO-KNET presented him with a briefing package introducing this e-Community work. They proposed to create, operate and manage a suite of e-applications for remote and rural First Nations.
The following year the AFN’s Chiefs Committee on Economic Development, which involved ICT experts from across Canada, held a workshop to discuss next steps. Participants noted that Chiefs-in-Assembly resolutions dating from 1997 to 2006 identified gaps in service support, funding, coordination, data management, and infrastructure. To help address these issues, the participants began to define a national broadband framework modeled on the e-Community strategy.
In 2008, the group presented this framework to the Chiefs-in-Assembly as the national e-Community strategy. The Chiefs endorsed the plan in AFN Resolution 16-2008. With financial support from the federal government, the AFN held a second meeting of the ICT Working Group. They identified several areas to include in the national framework, including infrastructure, sustainability, operations, management, and other issues of importance. During follow-up meetings, the ICT working group developed the concept, stressing the need to foreground a community-based development process. The group used the First Nations SchoolNet program as a model for the proposed e-Community initiative, expanding it to areas of health, economics, governance, justice, and other community services.
The e-Community strategy was re-affirmed in AFN Resolution 2011-09/53-2011. That resolution noted that national research partnerships can monitor, evaluate, and explore the effective use of ICTs in First Nations communities. The resolution also noted that the e-Community strategy is compatible with a First Mile approach, stressing the opportunity for First Nations to own, control and manage their local broadband infrastructure, and the services and data flowing through their local networks. Policies to support a First Mile approach include supporting community members to use these technologies effectively, and ensuring they have the capacities to do so.
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