Partner Profile: Keewatin Tribal Council (KTC)

The Keewatin Tribal Council represents eleven member reserves located in Northern Manitoba . The mandate of KTC is to promote, advance and protect the interests of its eleven member First Nations, and is intended to maintain, strengthen, enhance, lobby for and defend the rights of northern Manitoba First Nations people within its jurisdiction. KTC maintains a head office in Thompson with a sub-office in Winnipeg .

The Keewatin Tribal Council consists of the following member First Nations: Barren Lands (Brochet), Fox Lake, God's Lake, God's River, Northlands (Lac Brochet), Oxford House, Sayisi Dene (Tadoule Lake), Shamattawa, Split Lake, War Lake and York Factory. Approximately 10,000 people live in these communities.

KTC was selected as one of six Regional Management Organizations for the First Nations SchoolNet Program, delivered by Industry Canada . As a Regional Management Organizations it continues to provide services to participating schools and will support schools that have yet to be connected.

Based on feedback from the communities, KTC envisions the following uses of their broadband network now under contruction:

  • develop collaboration among academic, business, government and non-government organizations;
  • enable the creation of a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in the communities which will strengthen economic development potential;
  • make learning more accessible in a medium that facilitates self-directed and informal learning;
  • create opportunities for young people so that they can have a successful, productive and happy future;
  • focus on building healthy communities by increasing access to medical practitioners and specialized health care;
  • increase access to sources of financing and attract investment by increasing availability and access to electronic services;
  • develop a critical mass of e-learning and training capabilities;
  • allow Aboriginal people to compete in the knowledge economy;
  • make northern and remote residency more attractive to educators, health care practitioners and entrepreneurs;
  • preserve cultural history and promote cultural awareness within the Aboriginal community that will ensure that traditions and beliefs are not lost.