Technology is the advancement of tools, not people

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As I sat in a little cafe just past the security gates at Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ont., I pondered the activities of the last few days. I had just spent the better part of them at the National Aboriginal Information Technologies Conference held at the Blue Mountain Resort (www.bluemountain.ca) just west of Collingwood, Oct. 20 to 22.

My plane was having technical difficulties, apparently something to do with the computer system. The captain claimed that technicians were on site "recycling" the system. Judging by his accent, the captain was francophone, and I hoped that his explanation sounded more reassuring en francais. I pulled out my notebook computer and began to type.

October 20

As I entered the traditional territories of the Ojibway, Chippewa and Pottowatami, I had my eyes peeled for the mountains in which I would be nestled for the next three days. As I got closer, I noticed a gently sloping hill and started to think that maybe this was a cross-country ski resort. A local Anishinabe man later told me that the hill before me was Blue Mountain, and not to rub it in.

Blue Mountain is on the southern shore of Georgian Bay. Georgian Bay is so large that you cannot see the other side. It almost looks like an ocean. It was a pleasant sight to a West-coaster like me.

I registered outside the meeting room and noticed that I was the only delegate within sight. I walked over to the main meeting hall and peeked inside. To my dismay, there was no one in there. The warning bells began to ring inside my head. I started to think back and realized that most of my trip had been planned using the Internet and the telephone. I had never actually met anyone from the Barrie Area Native Advisory Circle (BANAC) and just fluked onto its web site (www.biindegan.org) and the announcement of this national conference.

Worst-case scenarios flashed through my head. I walked back to the registration table, smiled politely and, with a sideways glance, noticed that there were several lists with people's names on them. I quietly sighed in relief and hoped for the best.

Seven p.m. rolled around and there were perhaps 40 people present. When Kevin Wassegijig, the conference emcee, ascended the stage and welcomed us, mentioning that 140 people were expected, you could almost hear a collective exhale.

The conference was opened with a prayer and comments from Merle Assance Beedie, a Beausoloil First Nation Elder. She chose to speak to us, at least in part, in her traditional language. Despite the many advances in technology, it is important for us to remember and cherish our heritage. Merle Assance Beedie reminded us of that by preserving her language and heritage and sharing it with us. This would be a constant theme throughout the conference.

October 21

Saturday was the busiest day of the conference. Breakfast began at 7:30 a.m. and the majority of the workshops followed, as well as three keynote speakers and a gala dinner in the evening. Basil Johnston, a noted author, linguist and scholar of the Chippewas of Nawash First Nation, gave the first keynote address.

Mr. Johnston spoke of technology from a historical perspective and shared several stories of technological advancement over the years of his experience. I noticed that he was polite, yet insistent in his request that his speech not be video-recorded.

As Mr. Johnston delved into another story, I again thought of technology in a First Nations context. I have heard of Indigenous peoples around the world refusing to have their pictures/souls taken. I did not get to ask Mr. Johnston if this was his belief, but felt whatever his motive, it was appropriate that his wishes be respected.

As First Nations people move forward, braving the new technological and economic frontiers, we must heed advice from our Elders and respect and honor our traditional values. There is a path less traveled that is holistic in nature and mindful of the many different things that impat our lives. The important thing that Mr. Johnston was trying to get across was that technology is the advancement of tools, not people.

Throughout the day, there were concurrent workshops held on topics concerning the Internet, community development, education, tele-health, e-commerce, language and culture, careers in IT and a popular one entitled, "Show Me the Money!" Each delegate was able to attend two of the eight workshops. I chose to attend the e-commerce and the "Show Me the Money" workshops.

The presenters for the e-commerce workshop were Rob Hilmer, a consultant from Bell Canada (www.bell.ca); Micheline Esperance-Labelle of Web Tam Tam Inc. (www.webtamtam.com); and Perry Poeta, a First Nations entrepreneur (www.nativefrabic.com). Among other things, they noted that there will be 500 million Internet users by the end of 2001 with "Business to Consumer" (B2C) and "Business to Business" (B2B) revenue estimated to exceed $50 billion dollars.

There is no doubt that e-commerce will play a critical role in the new economy. The question posed at the conference was. What role will First Nations people play in the development of that new economy? The first response is one that seems to come naturally: selling of our arts and crafts to a broader world stage. What I am really interested in, however, goes beyond that.

Imagine, if you will, a corporation like Microsoft (www.microsoft.com), with annual revenues in excess of $15 billion, more than 25,000 employees and software sales and presence in more than 125 countries. Imagine the impact a company like that has, not only on its local community, but also on a state, a province, a country and the world.

Now realize what it is that a company like Microsoft actually does. Microsoft, among other things, creates, codes, develops, upgrades and purchases software. Pretty soon the majority of software will be sold online, not in retail stores. The key is that this business need not be physically located in Seattle, Los Ageles, New York or the Silicon Valley. It could just as easily be in Australia, in France or better yet, in your back yard.

Now that we are connected, plugged in, wired, heck, even wireless, it matters not where or who you are, but what you know and what you can do. I know of several network technicians who work from home and service networks and computers thousands of kilometres away. The basic point here is that this advancement in communications technology will be a catalyst in the economic development of our new self-sustaining economies.

The funny thing about e-commerce is that while it is constantly evolving, there are some things that remain constant. Mr. Hilmer of Bell Canada was able to provide a handy list of rules to observe when mastering the Web:

1. The customer is in charge of his or her experience. You can aid in this by providing a site that is easy to navigate, and avoiding dead-ends or links that refuse to go anywhere else. Web surfers who feel manipulated will surf away.

2. Speed rules. The attention span of the average Web surfer is only 7 to 12 seconds. Save the customer time by having a web site that accommodates minimal computer and Internet connection speeds by going easy on the graphics.

3. Provide an informative and personal experience. Get to know your customers and personalize their experience by being specific about the information they are most interested in.

4. Be direct. Ease of navigation and relevance of information are critical to winning loyal customers. Customers should not have to click page after page after page in an ever-complex mess only to get lost and click away.

At the "Show Me the Money" workshop, the delegates were exposed to a variety of possibilities for financing their cyber-dreams. On hand to present were Sharon Manitowabi of the Waubetek Business Development Corporation (www.waubetek.com) which acts on behalf of Aboriginal Business Canada (www.abc.gc.ca); Jim Richardson of the Business Development Bank of Cnada (www.bdc.ca); and Elaine Lickers from the Royal Bank Financial Group (www.royalbank.com).

Ms. Manitowabi pointed out that one of the five priority areas for funding was "innovation" which includes IT development. All three presenters stressed the importance of developing and "owning" a good business plan. They claimed that many applicants ask for too little, feeling that if they asked for less money, they would enhance their chances of approval. In fact the opposite is true when it makes good business sense. The presenters also passed on several easy to remember tips:

1. Remember the "Three C's" of credit - Character, Capacity and Capital. In the absence of a corporate credit history, financial institutions will look at your personal credit history, so pay those bills on time!

2. Know the "Circle of Entrepreneurial Success:" Money, Management and Training and Mentorship. You need capital reserves, cash flow, good solid management practices, up-to-date training and supportive advising to help you succeed.

The day also included keynote addresses by Mark Inkster, director, Global Healthcare Solutions at Nortel Networks (www.nortel.ca) and John Bernard, founder of Donna Cona Inc. (www.donacona.com). Both Mr. Inkster and Mr. Bernard lauded the many potential benefits that our communities may reap in embracing technology.

October 22, the last day of the conference, began with a final keynote speech by Juanita Cree, a Mohawk woman from Kanesatake, Que. Ms. Cree talked of her establishment of Mohawk RainBeau Administrators, an Aboriginal corporation dedicated to the facilitation of partnerships with major Canadian and international companies. She spoke of the opportunities in developing call centres that could employ hundreds of First Nations people and of the importance of bridging gaps between communities. Finally, I think it best to quote her closing remarks.

"If we are to be successful in this new millennium and participate in the growth of our people and na