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4TH ANNUAL FIRST NATIONS TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE:
Collaboration & Digital Literacy
FEBRUARY 21-24, 2008
Coast Plaza Inn, Vancouver, BC
Link to offical website: www.fntc.info
Registration: www.ictsummit.ca
UPDATE (Feb. 4/08)
This event is free for First Nations to attend. A travel subsidy will be provided to First Nations, after Travel Claim Forms have been filled in and submitted to the First Nations Summit. First Nations participants will be reinbursed after the workshop, and include the travel costs associated with staying for the 3 days of the FNTC Conference. Travel Claim Forms will be made available during the Workshop.
PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP BACKGROUNDER
PDF VERSION
How First Nations Collaboration with Industry & Government Might Work
Thurs., Feb. 21, 2008
Coast Plaza Inn (1763 Comox Street)
The First Nations Technology Council (FNTC) will be hosting its annual conference from February 21 to 24, 2008. It is expected that over 300 people will attend this conference (in 2007 over 350 people attended), and will allow for First Nations, community information technology groups (e.g. Pacific Community Networks Association, etc.), industry and government to network, participate in workshops and hear presentations from First Nations information technology practices. The theme of the conference is “Collaboration and Digital Literacy”, and this proposal is intended to focus on a collaboration opportunity between First Nations and industry for use and support of First Nations Land Use and Referrals Information Management Systems.
In September 2007 the FNTC, in partnership with Carrier Sekani Tribal Council (CSTC), hosted a Land Referral Workshop in Prince George that was attended by over 70 people. The purpose of the Workshop was to share information and collaboration about the First Nations projects currently being developed in BC that support the information management of land referrals and land use planning. The Workshop Report resulted in a number of recommendations, including the following:
• To get all existing First Nations technology development and practices out to all First Nations, with the FNTC as a facilitator of the process;
• To develop feasibility business plans for referrals management;
• To clarify policies (e.g. fee for service vs. accommodation, standards etc.) with other First Nations, government and industry;
• To develop cost analysis of First Nations systems that were demonstrated during workshop and other that have been, or are being, developed;
• To create partnerships with government, businesses and business organizations (e.g. CBSR)
A recurring theme from the Workshop was the need to involve Industry in the referral process and to reshape that process to become revenue generating rather than revenue draining for First Nations communities. As such, FNTC is proposing that one day during the Conference focus on building on the outcomes of the various Land Referral Workshops (e.g. Prince George Sept. 07, Kamloops Oct. 07) that would include industry stakeholders both from the land and resource sector as well as the information management sector. All stakeholders (e.g. First Nations, government, industry etc.) are seeking certainty; First Nations are looking for economic opportunities to improve life in their communities while protecting sacred and traditional use sites. Government and industry are seeking economic opportunities. If all parties work together and, if industry is involved in the planning, economic development should happen in a more efficient, amicable manner that will save all parties time and resources and benefit all parties. Working together will also enhance opportunities to build capacity in First Nations communities.
PURPOSE
The main purpose of the Workshop is to determine how First Nations use of technology and information management for natural resource management will build collaborative relationships with industry and government. All levels of government (i.e. First Nations, BC and Canada) have designed systems, policies and standards that outline how they gather, store and retrieve natural resource information. The second purpose of this workshop is to engage various industries with how they can support the development of First Nations natural resource information management systems and define the barriers and opportunities of supporting such systems.
OUTCOMES
The workshop will allow for industry and government to learn about the various First Nations and government natural resource information management systems that have developed over the last couple of years. Information tables and booths will be available throughout the workshop venue that highlights various projects and programs, which will provide for an opportunity for networking and information sharing.
The main outcome of the workshop will be the creation of a document that outlines the following:
• Summary of developments First Nations and government have made, and are making in the area of natural resource information management;
• Identify various collaborative projects that illustrate current trends in government-industry-First Nations relationships in systems designed for management natural resource information;
• Discuss what kind of ‘best practices’ should be used in developing policies and standards for developing natural resource information management systems;
• Identify next steps that industry, government and First Nations must take to develop collaborative projects and relationships in areas of natural resource information management.
PARTICIPANTS
The intended audience for the 3-day Conference will include some government, industry and First Nations technical staff, leadership and organizations involved in First Nations technology use, development and training.
Invitation Letter to Industry and Government (39 KB)