Support for the Western James Bay Telecom Network

Resolution No. 2007-06-08

Support for the Western James Bay Telecom Network

WHEREAS Mushkegowuk Council 1s comprised of the First Nations of Attawapiskat, Fort Albany, Kashechewan, Moose Cree, Taykwa Tagamou Nation, Chapleau Cree and Missanabie Cree and provides advisory and technical service to the Mushkegowuk Territory;

WHEREAS Mushkegowuk Council is the proponent of the Western James Bay Telecom Network (WJBTN), a First Nations not-for-profit organization to be established and registered with the CRTC as a non­dominant carrier to own and operate a telecommunications network to improve access to modern telecom services in the Far North communities within the Mushkegowuk Territory;

WHEREAS the WJBTN will enable the delivery of advanced telecommunications infrastructure and services to meet the social, economic, educational, medical, cultural and telecommunications needs of the First Nation communities and residents of the Mushkegowuk Territory and provide employment, training and skills transfer opportunities for First Nation residents to operate and manage the network;

WHEREAS Five Nations Energy Inc. (FNEI), the registered transmission line operator owned by the First Nation power authorities of Attawapiskat, Fort Albany and Kashechewan, has agreed to lease twelve

Resolution No. 2007-06-08, Page 2

(12) fibre optic strands to the WJBTN to deliver telecommunications services;

WHEREAS Mushkegowuk Council publicly issued an open and transparent Request for Proposals (RFP) on Merx on February I, 2007 for vendors and service providers to supply, install and operate high speed Internet, data, services and network management services on the Five Nations Energy Inc. fibre optic network and to train First Nation residents to assume operational and management responsibility for the network;

WHEREAS the RFP Review Committee received and reviewed three proposals from service providers and vendors and recommended to Mushkegowuk Council Executive Committee that the proposal from Xit Telecom of Trois Rivieres, Quebec be accepted, subject to entering into an agreement on final terms and conditions acceptable to Mushkegowuk Council, given that it provided a complete solution to provision the network, to introduce and deliver high speed Internet services in Fort Albany, Kashechewan and Attawapiskat and to manage the network to meet the needs of the communities in the most economical manner.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Grand Chief and/or Executive Director of Mushkegowuk Council be authorized to enter into an agreement with Xit Telecom to purchase, install and operate equipment which will be owned by the WJBTN;

FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that Mushkegowuk Council authorize the Grand Chief and/or Executive Director to prepare

and submit funding applications to the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC), to FedNor of Industry Canada and other funding agencies and stakeholders, to secure start up and capital funding and community and political support for the Western James Bay Telecom Network.

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