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First Nations Information and Communication
Technology Project
The scope
The Atlantic Policy Congress of First
Nation Chiefs Secretariat (APC) and the KTA Centre for Collaborative
Government undertood a roundtable dialogue and research project
to identify information and communication technology (ICT) opportunities
and address ICT challenges within Atlantic Canada for Mi’kmaq, Maliseet
and Passamaquoddy communities. The purpose was to generate a comprehensive
ICT strategy in partnership with key stakeholders, and to consolidate
the information gathered throughout the process and summarize the
analysis and thinking into a strategic framework.
The tactic
The
Atlantic Policy Congress and the KTA Centre for Collaborative Government
recognize the importance and urgency of advancing a Mi’kmaq, Maliseet
and Passamaquoddy ICT agenda. Accordingly, the two organizations
spearheaded this syndicated research initiative to assess the opportunities,
challenges and impacts of ICT within the 35 Atlantic First Nations
in order to develop a holistic and community driven ICT strategy.
The objectives of this initiative included:
- identifying a First Nations driven ICT
vision, agenda and strategy for Atlantic Canada;
- creating synergies and sustainable networks
that can assist in achieving this vision; and,
- building an Atlantic wide partnership
with government, private and public sectors to promote and support
the strategy that emerges from this process.
In keeping with these objectives, this project
was designed as a highly participatory and collaborative partnership.
The Mi’kmaq Education & Training Secretariat (METS), Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey
and the First Nations Help Desk, and the Atlantic Policy Congress
represent a cross section of the First Nation partners. The federal
partners in this initiative were: Aboriginal Business Canada, the
Department of Canadian Heritage, the Department of Indian Affairs
and Northern Development (DIAND), the Atlantic Canada Opportunities
Agency (ACOA), Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC). The Atlantic
provincial governments, academic institutions and a number of private
sector and business partners have also shared their knowledge and
expertise in the field of ICT. The inclusive and transparent nature
of this process was highly successful in establishing a network of
individuals, businesses and communities who now share similar goals
in using ICT in the 35 Atlantic First Nations.
Roundtable dialogues were a key part of
the process. Each roundtable was supported by a discussion paper
based on research for each strategy theme: nation rebuilding, cultural
renewal and development, community economic development and enhancing
youth education and training. The roundtables concluded with a final
strategy building session that brought together the knowledge and
conclusions developed in previous sessions into a long-term vision
and strategic framework for moving forward
The outcomes
This initiative demonstrated that there is
both a sense of urgency and opportunity in Atlantic Canada for the
development of a First Nation ICT strategy. Such a strategy is timely.
The Atlantic Provinces have an ICT infrastructure upon which to
build, and the current regional innovation agenda has created an
atmosphere of collaboration that extends from Universities and the
private sector to First Nation communities.
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