Railway Stories

ACOA Website - News - News Releases

2008-03-05T09:13:00.000-08:00

ACOA Website - News - News Releases: "Historically a Great Time Since 1864! Step back in time and celebrate the meeting of the Fathers of Confederation in 1864 at the 11th Annual Festival of the Fathers. The festival celebrates Confederation and Charlottetown's place in Canadian history as the 'Birthplace of Confederation'."

ACOA Website - News - News Releases

2008-03-05T09:12:00.000-08:00

ACOA Website - News - News Releases

Jimmy west art Show

2008-02-05T06:55:00.001-08:00

Jimmy says Hello and see you at the next show

Littles Presents The New Big East

2008-02-04T13:58:00.001-08:00

Slow Runnin'

2007-11-16T17:42:00.001-08:00

Great Song. You Picks

reactable: basic demo #2

2007-11-16T17:22:00.001-08:00

Very Cool site.

CN Pensioners Association council *9 November 16th 2007

2007-11-16T13:28:00.000-08:00

Robert Trainor
Presidents Address November 16th 2007
Ladies and gentlemen, Fellow members, Honored guests.
It is my pleasure to see all of you again this year. I hope all have been well since last we met.
This year we had some concern expressed as to our annual banquets being put on in a buffet style.
Some members have said they could attend a sit down banquet.
As a result of this concern I will be asking the executive to change our annual banquets to a sit down dinner. The meal will then be served to you at you table.. Hopefully this change will mean no member will be left out because of the inconvenience of having to stand in line etc......
This change will begin in 2008.
There has been interest expressed to me about having our Railway history, culture and legacy preserved by going east to west and holding interviews with members on their former jobs and other memories about railway work from days gone bye. This will then be compiled as the history of the railway worker on Prince Edward Island as told by the last generation of CN workers on Prince Edward Island.
The PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation has expressed great interest in putting this history together for Future Generations, school curriculums and museums and tourism locations along the old railway lines.
I have had several meetings with Dr. David Keenlyside, Executive Director P.E.I. Museums and Heritage Foundation. These interviews will be starting in the near future.
When Prince Edward Island history is completed our CN pensioners will be given the recognition they so richly deserve. P.E.I. departments of Tourism, Education, Community and Cultural Affairs, Technology and Community Development are also joining in this effort.
The City of Charlottetown has written to me regarding Future Generations ad-hoc committee requesting we submit an application for a grant in 2008 from the City.
As chairperson of this ad hoc committee I will be happy to oblige.
I must advise all members that my term as president will come to an end Dec 31 2007........

A new executive will be voted in today by all the members present.
They will be sworn in and assume office January 1, 2008.
It has always been my top priority to do my very best in the service of my fellow workers. It has been a great honor to serve you for the past four years.
In my heart this has always been my passion.
I have also enjoyed tremendously our work on the Executive and I look forward to working with the new Executive in the coming years as Past President and Vice President, Atlantic Regional Council.
I would also like to thank all the executive that has worked so hard with me over the past four years.
Together we have overcome many challenges.
I would personally like to thank each and every one of you for your hard work and dedication to the membership of our association.

In closing
I would like all of you to know that my desire and passion remains steadfast in the preservation of the history of all the railway workers on Prince Edward Island, past and present.
We are the last Generation of railway workers, and with your help I will do my very best to see that our story is told. I feel it is our duty to continue this important work of preserving our history, culture and legacy for Future Generations.
The importance of preserving our History, culture and legacy will remain priority number 1 with me.
Hopefully I can continue to count on your support for Future Generations. This legacy must be passed on to our children, grandchildren and all Future Generations. This will be our legacy. Thank you all for your time and patience.
Fraternally yours,

__________________________________
Robert Trainor President, CNPA Council # 9
Vice President Atlantic Region Council, C.N.P.A.

New Economy

2007-11-15T20:58:00.000-08:00

Social marketing is the tool of the next generation of the Future.
Our ability to communicate will revolutionizes the new economies and their sectors.

Making the Prince Edward Island trail a cultural tourism technology.

Making the PEIRailway a perfect digitalization project.
Preserving the history and cultural values of the community.
Tracking Canadian solders from the home front to the front lines.

GPS Station and Podcasting services are the future. It's here and the trail provides us with an opportunity to preserve Prince Edward Island Railway History.

It also provides us with an opportunity to develop G.P.S. Triggers and security programs. Technologies are back on the Trail and the old railway is back.

I hope that the new economy sector is coming upon us soon.

A Wave of New economy models designed for the the new social economy is here.

Time to build solid partnerships to harness this new wave on economic energy.

MODE is a tool for content in the collection and projection business.

Content.

The Old Trainstation Creeked And Cracked.

2007-11-15T20:21:00.000-08:00

It never looked back until one day it had it and cracked up.
I have driven past them on the highway of life.
Never giving them a second glance.
A bump in the road of life's cross roads.
At Hazel brook it took a look.
And headed back for home.

Ill see ya next time.
For now I like it here.

In the year 2007

What Side Of the Tracks Are You On?

2007-11-13T07:37:00.000-08:00

Hopefuly the right side of the tracks. Other wise you are just covering up the past.Understanding where the trail started and how The Prince Edward Island railway was abandoned is Key to learning and understanding Canada's history.

In 1871 the national railway system began. Prince Edward island joined Canada in this effort to keep up and to be a partner in the world of Communication and transportation.

Our island was part of the national dream and still is today based upon Prince Edward islands contribution to Canada as a equal province.We have remained in that light based upon a solid constitutional policies and protocols set out in the building of The Price Edward Island Railway.

What side of the Tracks are you when it comes to recognizing Canada's history and prince Edward islands History?

Prince Edward Island History Is On The Line

2007-11-13T07:33:00.001-08:00

The railway line. Today we have an opportunity to share our history like no other time in history.

Stories Stones and Stations all across the nation are ready to be explored and put into a new media for students and tourism.

Prince Edward Island Has A Train Story.

2007-11-12T08:47:00.000-08:00

PEI has a train story that reaches into the past and pulls out the history of our nation and Canada's national brand.

Prince Edwards Island has always connected to Canada through the Prince Edward Island railway.

The historical times and events from which Canada was both formed and created is on the line.So was the Prince Edward Island Railway. Both were happening at the same time in unison and it's policies and templates served as the keystones in our future frame works and national protocols for transportation and communication and it was the basis of this frame work that Prince Edward Island joined Canada.

The Prince Edward Island Railway is woven into The Prince Edward Island constitutional fabric and still supports the Prince Edward island people and it historical place at Canada's table.

Based upon this significant keystone in Canada and Prince Edward Island We have propased for the province to recognize the role the Prince Edward island railway played in the forming of Canada.

The Prince Edward Island Railway and the the Confederation Trail development are now need a nationally branded cultural tourism technology and educational learning strategy for Prince Edward Island tourism and educational purposes.

Designating the Prince Edward Island Railway site a national heritage site would symbolizes our historical ties to Canada as a nation and honors and preserves our transportation history and communication history with Canada..

It is our hope that this strip land once traveled by the Prince Edward Island railway will be specifically branded with a historical link to Canada's national railway and the Prince Edward island railway.

The Confederation trail needs to reflect the national Iconic railway symbol and reflect the richness of this great history through Prince Edward Island Railway culture and that historical events in Canada's history for our Future Generations.

We have also suggested that the Prince Edward island Railway history would include the history and recognition of the Prince Edward Island Railway workers who served the island transportation and communication industry since 1871. This legacy of hard work deserves to be honored and deemed as important to Prince Edward Island's historical linkage to Canada's national unity.

The importance to Prince Edward Island is unmeasurable and a keystone in Canada's unity.

Why is this important to us today?

This constitutional protocols still serves Prince Edward Island well today and our union with Canada has stood up to the test of time based upon this original frame works laid down by Prince Edward island as a cornerstone for all negotiations between provincial and federal agreements regarding communication and transportation since Canada was formed as a nation.

Today it is very important Canadian Event that needs to be honored and respected by Prince Edward islanders first.We must lead the way in innovation and promotion of our history with Canada in all forms possible. If we do not teach our children their provincial history it will be forgotten in time.

What is even more important to Prince edward islanders is the importance of understanding Our historical placement at the national table based upon historical agreements to Prince Edward Island.

By honoring the Prince Edward Island Railway history. We honor our relationship to Canada and out rights within the constitution of Canada.We are putting our history on the line for all to learn and experience.

Since Canada was born as a nation this link of Steam and communication has secured our place as a Province at the Canadian table. It has served Prince Edward Islanders well in the Canadian Charter of rights and it has connected islanders to Canada through communication and transportation since 1871.

in 1871 Canada constructed an iron link from east to west that would include Prince Edward island and connect our people in unity.We were their and we did our part to unite Canada through transportation and communication innovation and our workforce contributed to this national event in history.

Prince Edward Island has a train story worth telling.

It's a story every islander and every Canadian should know and be proud of.

It's a home grown Prince Edward Island story about our people and our place at Canada's constitutional table.

Prince Edward islands transportation and communication protocols and policies stem from this event in Canada's history.

It a proud history worth sharing with the rest of the country and most import, worth learning in the curriculum's and trails we build for future generations of Canadians. starting here on Prince Edward Island.

This historic Linkage as a nation to join together in communication and transportation formed Canada..

Today 1n 2007 the fastest growing industries in Canada are communication and transportation industries.

These two key areas are what determine our countries ability to work together and to share as a province in the economic and social benefits of being a country together in unity.

In the world of today we need historical anchors and links with the past to teach our Future Generation about the importance of our past so they will create future vision.

The Prince Edward Island Story and the origin of Canada as a nation is a great story.

Prince Edward Island has a train story.

Today our history is on the line. The Prince Edward Island Railway line need to be reconnected through recognition of our history and connection with Canada's origins.

A Formula for social networking

2007-11-09T09:05:00.000-08:00

The web is more a social creation than a technical one. I designed it for a social effect — to help people work together — and not as a technical toy. The ultimate goal of the Web is to support and improve our weblike existence in the world. We clump into families, associations, and companies. We develop trust across the miles and distrust around the corner.

—Tim Berners-Lee, Weaving The Web

http://gmpg.org/xfn/intro

What is a Cultural Tourism Technology?

2007-11-08T07:09:00.000-08:00

Lets break it down.

It basically the future marketing strategy for the Internet.

CTT's are the next wave of how we will distribute information.

The Future Generation learning tools are CTT tagged through out the process of creation.

Our project is designed to work with the cultural communities it serves.

Adding to the cultural work of preserving the history of the community.

The Future generation project collects and projects, railway content for CTT.

In the next wave of opportunity for the soft world we will see new marketing tools.

Over the past ten years Spirit Of The Trail productions has been working at connecting communities.

Our business model is ready.

The Future Generation PEIRailway is ready to be built.

Each community has a story and a station with stone memorial to mark the history and the legacy of the railway workers as well the entire cultural track record called "The Cultural Onion." This is a process of marking Time and place within a sphere of data.
Just like an onion the growth Rings of a community can be seen and recorded for Future Generations.

How does CTT work with in this sphere."The Cultural Onion" The content of a community can be shared and added to history and geography.

Our history and geography can be told using the train as a vehicle that a learner would ride.

http://www.actp-ptca.ca/research.html

2007-11-07T12:09:00.000-08:00

http://www.actp-ptca.ca/research.html

This site is a good start to waht is happen in the Cultural Tourism Technology sectors

My Prince Edward Island Railway Story.

2007-11-01T11:42:00.000-07:00

My Railway story began with a vision and a connection with the CN Pensioners association council #9 in the winter of 2005

I met Mr. Trainor of the CN Pensioners along with the executive of the CN Pensioners association to discuss ideas with them about a film and new media project, which I am working on.

Water and Steam. It involved producing a film and a new media product that would tell stories about Prince Edward Island Railway workers.

Also at the meeting was Ernie Selleck, Gene Miller, Edna Watts, Robert Trainor and staff from the CN Pensioner Club.

The CN pensioners Club is located down by the harbor front. It is an old signalman's shack and it is commemorated with plaques on its walls and pictures of railway days gone by. On a sunny day in the winter the sun shines in the window. It is the kind of place where working men gather to spin yarns and share tales. Sitting dead center on the back wall is a large plaque. Gold framed and sealed with the Dominion of Canada. With the Name Sir Henry Thornton in bold lettering and dated in the early twenties. Stating the value of the Prince Edward Island Railway workers and their excellent work in the construction of the railway and the granting of this charter that represents a special tribute to these men and women. The Charter stated that a place for the Railway workers would be provided to conduct business and socialize. What a cool place -- a place steeped in history. The last train left the yard many years ago and the train whistle blows no more. However, during my first visit I could have sworn that the train was coming down the tracks at any given moment.

Robert Trainor Chaired the meeting of the CN Pensioners Association council #9.

We talked about the CN Railway workers and their legacy and service to the Island's Railway.

What immediately became apparent to me was the emotion within the room. I experienced a strong sense of sadness and I also felt the pride which these people held in their work on the railway.

I never could have anticipated the impact that this meeting would have on my life.

I did not know that I would be making history.

The story I was told lies within the core of every village and town of Prince Edward Island.

After hearing this story, I wanted to do something to help the CN Pensioners share it with others. What they told me impacts every Islander in a historical and cultural way. I knew their story was important.

In essence, the story they told me was very sad and very exciting.

Sad because the workers' work and way of life had come to an abrupt end and with it, an end to a long line of railway workers who lived throughout Prince Edward Island communities since 1871.
Sad because the children of today are missing out on a significant piece of their own history and are unaware of the railway stories of their elders who worked upon the Prince Edward Island Railway.

Exciting because it's a story about never giving up. It is about fighting, even if you are out numbered and you know that time is running out. You never quit and you keep moving forward.

I like that kind of attitude because it reminds me of my elders and the struggles they faced and overcame.

I listened to Edna Watts tell me about her life as a railroad worker. She loved working for the railroad. She witnessed the tracks being ripped up and the railway which her life revolved around, come to an abrupt end. Edna described her memories of the men in trucks who came, loaded up the trucks and just left. Edna told me she was one of the last railway employees on the island. She spoke of this loss as though she had lost an old friend.
When you listen to railway workers tell their stories of the railway, you sense they are talking about a living, breathing thing. I guess anything that provided an economic and cultural backbone to Prince Edward Island since 1871 and ran up until 1989 was indeed, a living breathing thing. Trust me friends, that meeting changed my life -- it motivated me to action.

Robert Trainor is a get-to-the-point kind of man and he wanted to hear me out fast, as I remember his words: "We are running out of time." I connected with the CN Pensioners Association through Ron MacNeil and Frank Butler on different occasions regarding the Water and Steam film which I was producing.
On one specific occasion, while I was discussing the railway project with Ron MacNeil of PEI Tourism in 2005, Ron asked directly if I had met with the CN Pensioners association. "No," I said, "But I will take the time and go see the CN club and check it out."

I also told the executive that in a previous meeting with the executive director of the PEI museum and Heritage foundation I met Frank Butler. His office is on top of Beaconsfield, a historic home located on the Charlottetown waterfront.
I informed frank that I was working on a film project and that I could use some help locating pictures, information and possibly artifacts that would help me tell the CN Pensioners' story. Frank's father happened to be a railway worker. So, when I explained the idea he immediately became engaged. He began telling me about his father's life as an engineer and explained that the railway was near and dear to his own heart. Frank then asked me if I had gone down to the CN Pensioners Association.

So, looking back it is kind of funny how events unfolded. Today, three years later I see that all historical tracks lead back to the CN Pensioners Club and to the Pensioners themselves. They are the last of a long line of railway workers that began the work of the railway back in 1871.

"I'm working on a project about the railway workers of Canada and I am starting on Prince Edward Island. I was hoping that that I could meet with the people who represent the CN pensioner to discuss my project."

"I think it's very important for me to speak with the pensioners," I said. I told him about my meeting with Frank Butler.

We agreed that the history of railway worker is forgotten on Prince Edward island and the places and the buildings have been restored but they have no signs of the people that worked on the railway. We agreed that the youth of today have no idea the the railway ever existed.
I shared my idea's to produce a film and new media project that would pay tribute to the railway workers and that I could use their help to do it.

Three years later our file has grown and so has the support to preserve and protect the legacy of the Prince Edward Island railroad workers. The railway artifacts already exist in our public archives and artifactories. Currently there are 81 thousand pieces of Content that exist in our Prince Edward Island. These artifacts are being housed.

Our need is to locate artifacts within these collections and than digitalize the content. This content will be produced and developed here on the island for students in Atlantic Canada.

The Future Generation project is working in collaboration with the City of Charlottetown. It is our hope that Charlottetown will lead the Future Generation heritage project titled "Future Generation."

The Future Generation Ad-hoc Committee was approved by Charlottetown city council in 2006 to do so.

Our first task was to meet with the Mayor and to formulate a series of meetings with provincial ministers of Heritage, Tourism, Education, and Development and Technology to gather support for the project.

The result was very positive.

In the fall of 2006 we received support from the Government of Prince Edward Island. The Future Generation project was proclaimed by the premiere of Prince Edward island as important and worthy of the provinces attention and should be supported by all MLA's and ministers in the house.

This was a great accomplishment in itself. This act on behalf of the Premier of Prince Edward island was very significant. For the very first time on Prince Edward Island the railway workers were recognized in the legislative assembly since the ownership and use of the abandoned Rail rights of Way was sold by CN and later purchased by the province.

The process to create the confederation trail excluded the CN pensioners. Today if you walk the trail there are no projects that have included the CN pensioners. It is like they never existed.
The province spends millions of dollars to buy gravel and maintenance every year but has yet to consult the pensioners on any of these projects despite the many meetings with the premiere and the ministers of the Government of Prince Edward Island.

What is sad is that as time goes on so do the people who worked on the railway. The window to get these stories is closing. I wish I could say that after three years of meetings and proposals to heritage, Tourism and technology and development and to the City we are home. But the reality is that every time we get close we are overlooked and forgotten.

I feel that a miracle is needed to open the eyes and ears of our leaders so that this heritage and culture of Prince Edward Island is not lost forever.
I am hoping that the legacy of the CN Railway workers will not be lost.

The Prince Edward Island government needs to preserve and protect this legacy of hard work.

I can only work hard to tell the people of Prince Edward Island about this project and hope they will join us in our work.

If you have comments please write

trainstories@yahoo.ca

Public Meeting of Council Thursday, September 21, 2006

2007-11-01T11:27:00.000-07:00

Public Meeting of Council
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Page 2
Moved by Councillor Kim Devine
Seconded by Councillor Cecil Villard
RESOLVED:
That an Ad-Hoc Committee for the CN Project, “Future Generations” be set
up to facilitate the development and production of Charlottetown’s national
railway story to better teach and understand the historical connection of the
Prince Edward Island Railway to Canada’s Birthplace and that the following
be appointed to the Committee:
Robert Trainor – CN Pensioners
Fern Taylor – MODE Productions
Jon Tupper – Confederation Centre for the Arts
Simon Lloyd – UPEI Artifactory/Robertson Library
Keith Kennedy – Spirit of the Trail Productions.1864.com
Wayne Long – City of Charlottetown
MOTION CARRIED 6-0.

Future Generations Ad-Hoc Committee

2007-11-01T11:14:00.000-07:00

Future Generations Ad-Hoc Committee
Strategic Cultural Planning objectives :
• To plan, identify, and produce solutions regarding the cultural needs of Prince Edward Island Railway Workers' historical and cultural preservation and to establish their legacy within Canada's birthplace initiatives, addressing issues of national unity, cultural tourism, technology developments, economic associations and future legacies.
• To develop effective processes to preserve, develop and produce content and artifacts associated with the legacy of Prince Edward Island Railway and its workers. This will be accomplished through the co- ordination of cultural planning, facilities/events created through cultural planning and development using cultural tourism technologies.
• To ensure a broad range of high quality cultural events and tourism services, that covers the needs of both residents and visitors, of Charlottetown's historical Railway sites.
• To ensure all Future Generation content is protected within all copyrights and intellectual properties laws.
• To ensure resources to Future Generation to virtually connect Canada's train stations and cenotaphs across Canada , creating an educational learning link of train stations and GPS beacons leading to and from Charlottetown's birthplace and the Prince Edward Island Railway Head Quarters.
• Today, Canada's train company is know as The Canadian National. Charlottetown's link to this company is through the CN Pensioners Association council #9. Future Generation was developed to track the Prince Edward Island historical legacy of the Railway and railway workers to the birthplace of Canada.
• To value Future Generation "associates" partnerships who have contributed and created intellectual properties, brands and copyrights. Specifically, "The link of Steam," "Stories Stones and Stations," "Water and Steam," "Cultural Compass and Historical Clock," and "Virtual Cenotaph."
• To create cultural tourism technologies and edutainment for Charlottetown's growing tourism economies and event content systems..
• Development and production of "A Link Of Steam/1864.com," for Founders Hall, Virtual Train Station and Rail yard display for Railway Wharf, Virtual Cenotaph GPS for D.V.A, Province. Also being developed are, "Water And Steam\ Historical Clock and Cultural Compass."
• To secure the priority of the CN Pension Association Council #9 and connect Charlottetown to Future Generation cultural tourism technologies (CTT). Also, to preserve the legacy of railway workers in Charlottetown's history for cultural and historical initiatives.
• To ensure that the Prince Edward Island Railway Workers legacy is included into Canada's Birth Place Initiatives for its historical and cultural values intrenched in Canada's history and unity.
• To create Future Generations technologies and content to educate and motivate interest in the Prince Edward Railway Workers' history.
• To create cultural bridges and strategic associations to towns and cities along Canada's historical railway lines creating learning tools that will both educate and create new media experiences for cultural tourism technologies and events for Future Generations .
• To create new media content for Future Generations Stories, Stones & Stations. This will create a national flow of cultural content which will promote Charlottetown, the birthplace of our nation and "A Link Of Steam" to celebrate and preserve the Prince Edward Island Railway workers' legacy in Canada's history.
- These are principle goals and objectives of the CN Pensioners Association council #9 for Future Generations produced by MODE 2004 Spirit Of The Trail Productions(c).
- Production resources and time urgency remain our primary issues for 2004-07 . We need to get underway if we are to make it happen with the CN Pensioners involvement.

http://storiesstonesstation.pnn.com/3260-the-front-page

2007-10-31T16:45:00.000-07:00

http://storiesstonesstation.pnn.com/3260-the-front-page

HANSARD P.E.I. LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 23 NOVEMBER 2006
196
The Legislature sat at 2:00 p.m.
Matters of Privilege and Recognition of
Guests
Speaker: The hon. Premier.
Premier Binns: Thank you very much, Mr.
Speaker.
Nice to see a good number of people in the
gallery this afternoon. Beautiful day here on
Prince Edward Island and I might take a
moment to welcome those people. I see two
people side by side. I doubt they’re
travelling together. One is Paul MacNeill,
from Eastern Graphic - welcome, Paul - as
well as Ralph Villard, the best barber on
Prince Edward Island. But he’s not cutting
as much hair as he used to. So I don’t have
that opportunity quite so much anymore. I
want to welcome all visitors to the gallery.
I believe all Islanders were saddened to
learn of the passing of distinguished Atlantic
musician John Allan Cameron. He certainly
performed often on Prince Edward Island.
There wouldn’t be too many people in my
generation who perhaps hadn’t sung the
Four Marys or some of those great old tunes
that belong to John Allan Cameron. He was
indeed a person who brought traditional
music to the masses and to recognize - not
only on Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia
or Cape Breton, and of course throughout
North America and into Europe especially.
So we do want to recognize his passing and
extend our sympathies to his families from
Prince Edward Island.
Earlier today just briefly I had the
opportunity of meeting with representatives
of the CN Pensioners Club, Mr. Robert
Trainer, the president, and so on. I wanted to
mention this because we’re celebrating this
year 50 years of the pensioners under the
railway on Prince Edward Island. I think the
club was formed in 1956, I believe, so it’s
50 years that they have been in existence.
They have 360 members, and they’re
looking to the future, and establishing a
virtual cenotaph to help remember the
stories, the stones, the stages, the link that
the Prince Edward Island railway, and
railways generally, made in the province. I
think it’s a tremendous idea, a great vision
from our pensioners, and I appreciate their
good work.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Some Hon. Members: Hear, hear!

Partnerships Fund and PEI Joint Cultural Tourism Technology and Education Committee

2007-10-30T21:59:00.000-07:00

Partnerships Fund

2008/2009 Call for Proposals

Objectives

The Partnerships Fund is designed to assist partnership initiatives between not-for-profit, public and private organizations and institutions to connect all Canadians with the riches of Canada's heritage by making Canadian cultural collections held by provincial, municipal and local cultural organizations available via the Internet in both official languages.

At this time, the Department of Canadian Heritage is particularly seeking projects for the development of online content, which:

Provide a meaningful and seamless access to content that helps deepen an understanding of Canada and its rich diversity, particularly for the benefit of youth, students and lifelong learners in the areas of:
- Canada's contemporary culture and artistic expression;
- Aboriginal culture;
- Francophone community content;
- Canada's cultural diversity, including the content of minority groups in Canada.
Are of high quality, innovative and undertaken by institutional and organizational networks, or "Partners" from across the cultural heritage sector.
Exhibits or presents through a Web site, in at least one of Canada's official languages, content from one or more existing cultural collections.

Who can apply?

Registered or incorporated Canadian not-for-profit organizations active in the Canadian cultural or heritage sector;
Public educational institutions, i.e. university, college, etc.;
First Nation (band or tribal council), Métis settlements or Inuit equivalent governments. The applicant's main role must be to serve one or more Aboriginal communities and it must be active in promoting the culture of that (those) community(ies);
Municipal or regional governments;
Agencies of a provincial or territorial government.

What is the deadline?

The deadline for submitting an Expression of Interest is September 20, 2007.

M.O.D.E Model/Position Paper On Current Challenges Of Digitalization

2007-10-30T18:41:00.000-07:00

New media is a process of creative goods and services that both develop and add value to an original piece of content to produce a deliverable, a new product to the viewer or consumer.
This association of artistic talent combines skills and services to produce a product. The creative process begins immediately when content is discovered.

The beginning stages of creation are the hardest to accomplish because this takes the up front talents and services of a content creator. This content becomes "More" as a product content can be better used to tell a larger story or used in Cultural tourism technologies. These combined skills of the content creator need to factor into existing business practices and models.

When working on a project such as the railway worker's protection and preservation project . It is up to the content creator to develop a frame work and produce the resources necessary and to create a team of individuals that will work together to develop and produce the project.

Currently the business process is flawed and the pre-development phases are not factored into the project. This time and work is lost and their is an expectation that this work is free.
This is a recipe for failure and we simply need to look and any other project to see this planning and development flaw in the current model used today in Charlottetown and Prince Edward Island for new media projects .

This content creation process is often overlooked by existing new media business models and understood by too few gate keepers and creates a problem for the new media industry in that it creates to many different rules for to many levels of municipal provincial and federal funding agencies.
The task of digitalizing our heritage is big enough but when these levels of governments are disjointed and non functional the problem become impossible and when combined with inappropriate business models that look solely at the end deliver ables and not the work that goes into the pre-development and pre-production work, it creates distrust and break downs in the creative process of new media creation.
Today the digital challenge is in finding business models that provide security and accountability at all levels of cultural content creation. So people can communicate and contract effectively to produce Canadian content . Other wise we are waisting the time of creative people that are working hard to create content for Canadians. The new economy must address these needs to create an atmosphere of opportunity and trust.

If the artifacts and the history of our nation are to be digitalized for future uses we need common communication so that the business of digital projects is understood by all involved.

These projects require a business model that includes post production and pre-development stages of content creation.

When there is no common language among producers and gate keepers it creates the impression of a system that is difficult and problematic. Successful projects need to include pre-development and post production costs.

other wise the content creator will lose out in the pre-development stages of content creation and the process of re-numeration will not be factored into the project.

The question needs to be asked. How many workers would work under these rules of operation. How many projects would become a reality if planning and development costs were not factored in.

So the content creators must take on the task of building a common language and a common business model in initial collaborations and partnerships. A model that addresses the front end loaded cost of a project. Like all other projects that require planning and development costs

Many new media projects are developed with good intentions but the reality is that the content creators are at risk of losing creative time and the normal re numeration that is expected for pre-production and development phases of the project. Often the recipients of this work are people who benefit by using a system that both confuses the creative society and the viewers of the production. The content creator dose not see the outcome of the work because it is not understood.

How many people are ready to work within these unfair and unjustified guidelines where the producer is unrewarded. Only artists would take such a risk.

So it is under these guidelines we go forward in the hope that society will create processes that nurtures the new economy and rewards the artist and provides a safe environment that produces good digital development and production relationships and economic benefits to the people do the work. The creative artist who risks all to create.

I know who loses. The creative Artist, because once again our creative services are overlooked in most current business models.
However the cultural community is valued only when re numeration is transparent and accountable to all phases of the work involved.The day of the starving artist has not passed and the lack of desire to create a working business model for the creative sector is convenient and is not happening at the grass root levels and the privileged few are the gate keepers. Who keep asking for more creative energy and pay nothing in return.

We need to see change so that artists are valued and are paid.

The M.O.D.E. model works on collaboration and service for payment at all level of content development and production stages and rejects any attempt to high jack the process . It values communication and good contracts that are based upon mutual respect and clear goals and objectives.

The problem is that current business models for content production are not woven into the main streams of the cultural industries.gate keeper are operating on to many models that do not work and cause failure and mistrust. There is no common knowledge to rely on or to refer to and depends to much on misinterpretation by people who do not understand the creative industry sector.

This leaves to much room for manipulation and confuses most involved in the business of digitization.

M.O.D.E. New Media Group

2007-10-29T19:55:00.000-07:00

M.O.D.E New Media is an association of content creators and developers who have joined together to produce a unique and interesting way to learn about Canada's Birthplace and to create a new and exciting supplemental curriculum.

Titled: Future Generations.

Based upon the Birthplace of Canada and the history of Canada's communication and transportation history.

Starting in 1864 and highlighting Charlottetown. The Birthplace of Confederation.

The CN Pensioners

2007-10-29T19:20:00.000-07:00

In 2004 I was introduced to Robert Trainor president of CN Pensioners Association Council #9 after meeting with Ron Mac Neil Tourism PEI and Frank Butler executive director PEIHMF.

"I am a content creator and I have an idea to tell a story about the PEI Railway and Canada's history." I told them.
"My story is about Canada's Confederation."
"It is also a story about the remaining Prince Edward Island Railroad workers and their hope to preserve and protect the heritage of Prince Edward Island railway workers."

I have watched Charlottetown grow and change over the last twenty three years and I have watched as the railway has disappeared with out a trace to tell the railway workers stories.
It pisses me off to think that such a workforce could be buried in such a short time an what is most alarming to me is the lack of concern for this cultural high jacking that is taking place along the railway line..

I am hoping to prevent this from happening and I am dedicated to helping the CN Pensioners preserve and protect this valuable piece of Canada's history for Future Generations.

This blog is set up to tell this story.
To create a opportunity to share information.
trainstories@yahoo.ca