In this episode, we sit down with Darian Ducharme from Teqare, a digital literacy and cyber safety educator from Lac Seul First Nation who has worked with more than 70 Indigenous communities and over 100 schools across Turtle Island. Darian shares how his work brings him into First Nations communities to teach youth, Elders, and adults about cyber safety, financial literacy, digital privacy, and the rapidly changing risks associated with social media, AI, and online scams.

Our conversation explores the realities of digital life in remote and northern communities, where many people are only now gaining reliable internet access through technologies such as Starlink. Darian reflects on how some communities are navigating digital risks that urban Canadians encountered more than a decade ago, while simultaneously confronting entirely new challenges tied to AI-generated content, deepfakes, misinformation, and online surveillance. Together, we discuss everything from scam culture and phishing attacks to AI-generated videos, data harvesting, and the hidden economies behind social media platforms and smartphone apps.

We also explore the tension between digital opportunity and digital risk. Darian speaks thoughtfully about balancing caution with optimism, emphasizing that Indigenous youth should not be afraid to share their stories, languages, artwork, and experiences online. The conversation touches on how technology can support language preservation, economic opportunity, and cultural visibility, while also requiring communities to think carefully about privacy, exploitation, and the long-term consequences of digital footprints.

Gila’kasla!

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A very special thanks to Compulsion Soundlabs for sharing their musical talent, which you are hearing as the intro and outro music in this series!

In this episode, we sit down with Stan Knight from Opaskwayak Cree Nation. He is the creator of Inspector in a Box: an initiative to build housing capacity in remote Indigenous communities across Canada. Drawing on his experience in construction, insurance adjusting, and community work, Stan explains how the program equips communities with tools, training, and digital infrastructure so that housing inspections and renovation planning can be led locally rather than relying on costly outside contractors that are often unfamiliar with the needs of Indigenous communities.

Our conversation explores the deeper realities of housing across Indigenous communities, from the logistical challenges of shipping materials north to the cultural and environmental realities that make one-size-fits-all government housing ineffective. Stan walks us through how technology such as drones, LiDAR-enabled smartphones, thermal cameras, and inspection software are being used to capture housing data locally, allowing communities to document their needs, plan repairs, and access funding without having to bring outside experts into remote regions.

This is a thoughtful conversation about housing, technology, and self-determination — and about how Indigenous leadership can reshape systems that have historically been imposed from the outside. We hope you’ll explore it as an invitation to think differently about infrastructure, innovation, and the role digital tools can play in supporting community-led solutions.

Gila’kasla!

Follow us on Twitter: Wtncast

Follow your co-hosts: Tommy | Al | Lawrence

A very special thanks to Compulsion Soundlabs for sharing their musical talent, which you are hearing as the intro and outro music in this series!

In this episode, we sit down with technologist and entrepreneur Matthew, founder of iComply, a company focused on trust, security, privacy, and digital identity. Matthew shares his journey from growing up in the Red River Valley and building a career in financial services to stepping into the tech world and helping shape the infrastructure of online trust.

Our conversation explores what Indigenous digital identity could look like when sovereignty and consent sit with the individual rather than being endlessly copied and stored across institutions. Matthew reflects on reconnecting with Métis identity, the legacy of the Sixties Scoop, and how Indigenous values can guide the design of systems that protect people instead of extracting from them. Along the way, we dig into centralization vs decentralization, why accountability and transparency matter, and how Indigenous communities could leapfrog outdated government infrastructure to build digital governance on their own terms.

This is a thoughtful dialogue about identity, trust, and building a digital future that serves communities for seven generations. We hope you will explore it as an invitation to think differently about where power lives online... and what it means to design technology with care.

Gila’kasla!

Follow us on Twitter: Wtncast

Follow your co-hosts: Tommy | Al | Lawrence

A very special thanks to Compulsion Soundlabs for sharing their musical talent, which you are hearing as the intro and outro music in this series!