About Us

In April 2019, the CRTC approved the licence application of the Paqtnkek Radio Society, a non-profit board representing the community of Paqtnkek Mi’kmaw Nation. The application, which took about 18 months to complete, was prepared by Richard Perry, communications advisor to Paqtnkek and a former CBC and CTV National News broadcaster. The early months were busy with fundraising, investing in studio and transmission gear and making sure the application’s programming details reflected the interests of the community.

Application Details:

1

Paqtnkek Radio Society filed an application for a broadcasting licence to operate a Type B Native radio undertaking, an English and Indigenous-language FM radio station in Afton Station, Nova Scotia. The Commission received interventions supporting the application.

2

Paqtnkek Radio Society is a not-for-profit organization controlled by its board of directors, whose objective is to encourage volunteer participation through a radio station that promotes Indigenous culture and the preservation of its language and identity. All six members of the board are Canadian, and five of them are Indigenous.

3

 The station would operate at 104.5 MHz (channel 283LP) with an effective radiated power of 50 watts and an effective height of the antenna above average terrain of 8.5 metres.

4

The station would broadcast 126 hours of local programming each broadcast week, including programs in the MiÕkmaq language, community news and other spoken word programming. Music performed or composed by Indigenous artists will also be promoted.

5

The station also intends to broadcast community events such as traditional celebrations and ceremonies, offer airtime to local artists and reach out to the community in order to tailor its programming to their interests.

Board of Directors

Anne Marie Paul
Judy Bernard Julian
Tanya Francis
Benedict Lafford
Juliana Julian
Richard Perry

Officers

Kim Julian | President
Darlene Paul | Vice-president
Richard Perry | Secretary/Treasurer

Nominations for Board and Officer positions (volunteer) are accepted and voted upon at an annual community meeting.

Announcers

Join Our Team

Announcers

Join Our Team

Ben Lafford

Our first hired announcer, funded by the National Indian Brotherhood Trust Fund, is Ben Lafford, who hosts his own show from 11am to 2pm Monday to Friday. Ben is an active community member. He helped produce a CD for local artist Mary Beth Carty and also attended the NSCC media program.

Richard Perry

Richard Perry is the station manager and co-ordinator of funded projects by the National Indian Brotherhood Trust Fund and the Department of Canadian Heritage. He is a former broadcast journalist and now works with First Nation communities on audio storytelling and podcasting projects.

Station Location

The combined on-air/production studio is located in the current security room of the Band-owned Entertainment Centre, 4 Dillon Street, Afton Station, NS. The building will be converted to an Elders’ Centre in the near future, which will provide convenient access for those Elders who wish to share stories or have conversations on the radio. The local signal teaches the community from a transmission antenna on a steel tower behind the six-plex apartment on Treaty Road.