A new computer Bulletin Board Service for the Crees has been added to the so-called information highway.
The “Creenet BBS” was launched by the Wemindji First Nation on May 8. It is the first electronic bulletin board in northern Quebec.
Anyone with a modem can call the BBS at 819-978-0303 to publicize or read about community events, services offered by the band or entities, job openings, sports scores, vacation tips, mail a letter in a split-second… or just gossip.
Yes, gossip. Using Creenet’s “chat” service, you can talk to anyone who is on one of the BBS’s seven other phone lines through your computer keyboard.
Creenet also has space for the radio stations and print media to exchange news, a private space reserved for each of the nine communities, room for advertising and even space for anonymous tips to The Nation! There are also programs that can be loaded onto your computer, including 40 to 50 games.
Anyone around the world can phone Creenet to learn about the Cree people. For Crees the only cost is long-distance to Wemindji. You can go on for a maximum of two hours per day. Non-Crees pay $10 a month.
“It’s a local phone call and the world is at your fingertips,” says Mike McGee, who started Creenet as Wemindji’s economic development director.
The start-up cost to Wemindji was $10,000, plus $8,000 a year for phone lines. A Cree is now being trained to take over as Creenet’s “system operator” (or “sysop”… gotta get used to this computer jargon—Ed.) McGee said Creenet is the band’s attempt to communicate better with its members. Some members have complained about secrecy in the administration led by Chief Walter Hugh boy.
McGee said Creenet gives all Cree bands and entities the same ability to improve their communications with the people.
“Band members were always asking for band information and they have a right to that. But it takes time to dig through files to find that stuff.” Each band has a confidential space on Creenet open only to members of that band. Band Councils can use this space to make public financial reports, minutes of meetings and by-laws. No outsiders will be able to see this information, except the system operator in Wemindji.
By next fall, Wemindji plans to expand Creenet into a full-fledged “Internet” server, another first for northern Quebec. The Internet will give Crees access to world-wide discussion groups on hundreds of topics, everything from First Nations news to Beverly Hills 90210.
Also available will be hundreds of free computer programs, and you can send “e-mail” (electronic mail) for free anywhere in James Bay or around the globe.
“It will open the doors to every single computer in the world,” said McGee.
Internet will cost Wemindji another $50,000, plus $60-70,000 a year in operating expenses.
McGee is currently working on a business plan for the Internet which still has to be approved by the Quebec Ministry of Communications.
The plan is already supported by the Telebec phone company, which agreed to pay for an upgrade of the phone line from Val d’Or to Wemindji.
