[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMDpeRJsksI[/youtube]

The Georgia Straight interviews Sue Hanley, the coordinator of the First Nations Technology Council, regarding the digital divide. She answers the following questions:

1. What is the digital divide between First Nations and other British Columbians?

2. How will erasing the digital divide improve the lives of First Nations people in BC?

According to her, the digital divide is “whether or not a community has access to broadband connectivity”. It’s related to the availability of computers in the community, the availability of technical support, and the availability of user skills.

She also says that erasing the digital divide will help the First Nations have access to health services that they don’t have in remote communities and offer many opportunities for education. Most First Nations students leave their communities when they are in Gr.8 or 9, but the implementation of technology in their communities can help them stay in their communities and accomplish their education. This will provide a possibility for the positive future for them.

I like how she says at the end that “technology is a wonderful tool to revitalize culture and language and […] every aspect of community life will change when the digital divide is bridged”. 

Once I watched the video clip, I became curious about what the First Nations Technology Council (FNTC) does for the First Nations communities in BC.

Here’s the link to the FNTC website: http://fnbc.info/fntc

The Council provides connectivity, technical support, skill development, resources, and news that the First Nations communities can share with each other.