Category Archives: MODULE 4

Module 4 Post 5: First Peoples Guide for Newcomers

The First Peoples Guide for Newcomers developed by the City of Vancouver is a comprehensive guide intended for those new to Vancouver and BC. It offers information on the local First Nations, myths about Indigenous peoples, the relationship with Canadian government, truth and reconciliation, and culture in general. I can see this guide being useful to both immigrants new to Vancouver and even locals who have lived here their entire lives. The information presented in this document fills in many of the gaps BC schools have created for so many years, and I am sure much of the guide will be novel for Vancouverites.

Module 4 Post 4: FN and Endangered Language Program

The First Nations and Endangered Languages Program at UBC began in 1996 with the goal to “build a community of people dedicated to learning, speaking, researching, and teaching their languages”. The program offers courses dealing with decolonization, preservation and revitalization of language, documentation of language, and Musqueam langauge learning. This program offers “opportunities to engage with communities and participate in active collaborations in partnership with First Nations communities”.

Module 4 Post 2: FN Language Nests

Although an older document, the “First Nations Language Nests” offers a developmental psychology perspective to justify learning (Indigenous) languages at the preschool/early childhood age. This document discusses the program goals of incorporating “nests” of Indigenous immersion programs in schools across BC. The document also answers many questions families may have toward learning an additional language. The rationales put language education in Canada into perspective. My thoughts while reading this document questioned why French remains the sole official second language, and why Indigenous languages seemingly have no presence in most public schools.

Module 4 Post 1: FN Language Curriculum

Created by FNESC, this is the First Nations Language Curriculum Building Guide. This package was developed by Marianne Ignace (professor and director of SFU’s Indigenous Languages Program and First Nations Language Centre. It is designed to “assist First Nations language teachers, members of First Nations language communities, educational staff in First Nations and public schools, and policy makers as they consider First Nations language and culture frameworks at the K – 12 level”. The ideas presented in this document do its part to decolonize language learning in BC/Canada. Educators can refer to this document at the classroom level or the ministry level for universal change.

The document offers:

  • Context/State of Indigenous languages in BC
  • Rationale for the need to preserve Indigenous languages
  • Examples and frameworks for teaching Indigenous languages

M4P5 – Building Indigenous Future Zones: Four Tribal Broadband Case Studies

The Institute for Local Self-Reliance published a paper which “intends to offer insight into Internet infrastructure development in the more than 574 Native Nations across the U.S.”. It offers useful case studies highlighting “ways that Native Nations have built their own Internet Service Providers (ISPs)”

One thing that is highlighted is the issue of Spectrum Sovereignty, where the government tightly controls and sells access to radio frequencies which are crucial to the delivery of wireless internet services within Indigenous territories.

There are helpful “Takeaways for Other Native Nations” sections at the end of each case study emphasizing the importance of utilizing local expertise and local investment in the projects. They also highlight the shift in perspective from a program focused on profitability recognizing that this does not always match the needs in Indigenous communities.

Finally, they highlight the issue of “single purpose funding” which is designed to address a single, specific issue, many projects which may end up overlapping and duplicating effort while leaving major gaps in need in the community due to a lack of a holistic approach.

M4P4 – $1.25M funded from CIRA to Indigenous, rural, and student projects

A very recent announcement by the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) listing their grant recipients. 8 of the projects benefit Indigenous communities, many of which are infrastructure but also include community leadership through the First Nations Technology Council in British Columbia.

As Laura Ulrich mentioned this week, the Tsilhqot’in National Government is developing their own owned and managed cellular and broadband network which is exciting news.

M4P3 – The Universal Broadband Fund & First Nation Infrastructure Fund

I started looking in a bit more detail at how funding is allocated by the Canadian government in ways that can support Indigenous Peoples’ Internet and mobile connectivity in Canada.

They emphasize that the Connect to Innovate program started in 2016 would serve 190 Indigenous communities by 2021 and was extended to 2023 with a status update here. It seems possible that this program is responsible for some of the improvements seen in Nunavut over the last year (the goal is a minimum 5Mbps connectivity speed)

The Universal Broadband Fund is how the Canadian government is attempting to address the “digital divide”, but it’s interesting to look at how that money has been allocated so far, and how funding is awarded. Currently they award up to $50 million for mobile Internet projects that primarily benefit Indigenous Peoples, including projects along highways and roads where mobile connectivity is lacking. (I don’t immediately see how projects along highways and roads primarily benefit Indigenous Peoples?)

There is also the First Nation Infrastructure Fund offers up to $10 million per recipient per year and was evaluated in 2014.

M4P2 – High-Speed Access for All: Canada’s Connectivity Strategy

I took a closer look at this strategy, specifically how it identifies the government will measure success and can see how it fits in with the annual CRTC Communications Monitoring Report. When reading how success is measured though, the sources of information appear to be heavily biased to official government sources such as the CRTC, Statistics Canada, and Budget funding.

Two statements summarizing action items I would highlight are:

  • Ensure strong internal governance and accountability via new coordination frameworks
    • I will need to find more information about these coordination frameworks, as the how is crucial
  • Ensure the design and eligibility criteria for Government of Canada investments are designed to enable projects that best meet local needs and demonstrate strong local engagement.
    • This is promising, but I want to find information about how they will ensure it meets local needs and demonstrate strong local engagement.

M4P1 – Internet Society Indigenous Connectivity Summit Policy Recommendations

Each year starting in 2017 the Internet Society hosts the Indigenous Connectivity Summit and publishes their policy recommendations (2019, 2020). These documents “outline the actions that governments of Canada and the United States can take to ensure that the Internet is for everyone.”

What they significantly acknowledged in their 2020 report is that access to broadband is a basic service much like water or electricity and point out that “in 2016, the Canadian Radio-Television Commission declared the Internet a “basic service” in Canada.” They identified six critical areas in the effort to achieve digital equity, “in no particular order of importance, all are considered equal priority”

  1. Effective and Accurate Mapping (of broadband access)
  2. Inclusivity, Community Consultation, and Engagement
  3. Capacity Building in Indigenous Communities
  4. Spectrum Rights and Sovereignty
  5. Infrastructure and Ownership
  6. Affordability