(File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Derek Craddock

CONNECTING COMMUNITIES

More high-speed internet funding announced for northern communities

Mar 17, 2023 | 1:58 PM

More high-speed internet is coming to rural and remote communities thanks to a big investment by the federal government.

On Friday morning, Minister of Rural Economic Development Gudie Hutchings was at Flying Dust First Nation, pledging $37 million to the Universal Broadband Fund which will provide high speed connections to over 5,000 homes.

This will include many homes within the Meadow Lake Tribal Council as well as areas in the Prince Albert region, Yorkton-Melville, Regina-Moose Mountain, and Saskatoon-Biggar. This 5,000 includes over 2,700 homes in Indigenous communities.

“This is exactly what we need in our communities,” said Cree Vice Chief Richard Derocher, pointing to one community in the MLTC that has about 100 homes without service.

In making the announcement, Minister Hutchings said that having internet in 2023 is not a luxury but a necessity.

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“It’s keeping in touch with your loved ones, keeping in touch with your great-children, it’s working online, it’s running your farm,” she said. “It makes rural and remote areas truly equal to the rest of the country.”

She reiterated the federal government’s plan to have roughly 98 per cent of the country connected to high-speed internet by 2026.

She referenced one community that has dealt with frequent internet outages and spotty connections, adding this investment will change that for its residents.

Dene Vice Chief Lawrence McIntyre also spoke at the event saying how critical internet is, especially to children.

“With no high-speed internet, our children are in a learning environment with less mainstream education opportunities.”

As the press conference wrapped up, Vice Chief Derocher took time to address the passing of the Saskatchewan First Act on Thursday and the opposition it has received from First Nations and Métis leaders. These leaders say they were never consulted on the bill and that it violates their Treaty rights.

“It weighs very heavy on us as leaders,” said Derocher. “It has everything to do with relationships. It’s just another jab.”

He referred to the 1930s when the NRTA was made between Saskatchewan and Ottawa without consultations from Indigenous peoples.

“We cannot just stand by and let that happen,” he said. “We are of the land, we come from the land, our life is on the land. We are keepers of the land. That’s why we’re so passionate about it.”

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derek.craddock@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @PA_Craddock