Increase the capacity of Indigenous peoples to participate in and benefit from research
Hugo Asselin, Francis Lévesque and Suzy Basile, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue
Synopsis:
Historically, and to this day, Indigenous knowledge, values, experiences and principles have largely been absent in Indigenous research. As scholarship is evolving towards research “by and with” Indigenous peoples, ethical guidelines require concrete, applicable examples. It is critical that these identified examples and practices are evaluated by Indigenous peoples to confirm their relevance, legitimacy and efficiency. They should also draw on innovative methods already developed by Indigenous peoples, but which remain scattered and difficult to access.
This project seeks to synthesize strategies applied in universities over the past 10 years, and to assess the most effective approaches. Working in partnership with the Assembly of First Nations of Quebec and Labrador, the methods will be contextualized to serve unique Indigenous communities and nations across the country.
“In this way, the project’s […] overall objective is to synthesize knowledge in order to make it possible to determine concrete and effective means of increasing Aboriginal participation in research and the benefits Aboriginal Peoples derive from it.”
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Between law and action: Assessing the state of knowledge on Indigenous law and international legal norms with reference to fresh water resources
Karen Bakker, The University of British Columbia and Hannah Askew, West Coast Environmental Law
Synopsis:
The federal government’s official adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) will have significant, but as yet unknown, implications for Indigenous communities. Canada’s commitment to the Declaration implies governance changes in the context of a dynamic legal landscape.
This project will explore a number of legal and regulatory challenges in the implementation of the UNDRIP regarding fresh water in Indigenous communities, with a specific focus on the “duty to consult.” The duty to consult is entrenched in both the Declaration and section 35 of the Canadian Constitution Act, and has practical implications for a range of issues, including resource development projects.
Working in partnership with West Coast Environmental Law, the project team will produce a report and associated media materials that will provide greater understanding of the relationship between the UNDRIP and constitutionally protected Aboriginal Rights and Title. The project will contribute to both policy innovation and academic debate, specifically on the implications of the UNDRIP for water-related resource development projects.
“A key underpinning issue is the disjuncture between western and Indigenous knowledge systems, which offer distinct (and to a degree incommensurate) perspectives on relationships between people and water.”
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Pedagogical pathways for Indigenous business education: Learning from current Aboriginal business practices
Simon Berge, The University of Winnipeg
Synopsis:
Among the growing population of Indigenous youth preparing for postsecondary education, many will seek out business education, one of the highest enrolment areas in Canadian universities. However, information on Indigenous business practices, particularly in rural and remote communities, is limited or scattered across disciplines.
This project will review knowledge on the culture and place-based nature of Indigenous businesses in Northern rural and remote communities. A key goal of this project includes synthesizing existing Indigenous business knowledge into case studies with accompanying videos to increase the availability and accessibility of Indigenous business resources for educators. These resources will help Indigenous students see themselves in the role of future business leaders, and encourage their attraction to and retention in business programs. In addition, existing business pedagogy will be enhanced through the incorporation of Indigenous Ways of Knowing business.
“The need to expand business education to incorporate Indigenous culture and a place-based understanding of business will be crucial if rural and remote Canadian Indigenous communities are to become sustainable places for business for future Indigenous business leaders to live and work.”
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Toward an Indigenous digital asset management system: Building reconciliation by responding to Indigenous requests for capacity building
Keith T. Carlson, University of Saskatchewan
Synopsis:
The development of digital databases creates both challenges and opportunities for scholars and Indigenous partners. Too often, Indigenous knowledge ends up sitting on inaccessible faculty computers or on hard drives in First Nations community offices. The retrieval of this information for analysis and use is distinct to each particular Indigenous community and their relations.
It is uncertain whether descendants of Indigenous research partners will be able to access these digital resources in 10, 50 or 100 years from now. Currently, no major research university in Canada has a systematic digital asset management system in place for Indigenous knowledge resources. To advance university efforts to build reconciliation, this project will develop, with community partners, recommendations towards the creation of a robust, ethical, and genuinely Indigenous Digital Asset Management System.
The work will be guided by the philosophy and methodology of community-engaged scholarship to co-create new knowledge with Indigenous partners, and will ensure Indigenous ownership, control, access and possession (OCAP®) while also facilitating rigorous faculty research programs and knowledge mobilization. Project findings will be published in a policy paper to help guide the system's development.
“This Indigenous Digital Asset Management System will be a platform that synthesizes previously fragmented, and often inaccessible, Indigenous knowledge databases so that communities and researchers alike can access collections that are preserved and managed in ways that facilitate exciting new collaborations and knowledge mobilization.”
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Advancing Indigenous pedagogy on childhood: Identifying priorities for professional education
Franco Carnevale, McGill University
Synopsis:
Canada’s former residential schools continue to have implications on the physical and mental health, and social and cultural well-being, of Indigenous children. Addressing these critical issues is seriously challenged as many Indigenous communities face sub-standard community and health services, and the repression of vital traditional practices.
Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission has called for improvements in postsecondary education to better assist child-focused professionals in developing the knowledge, skills, attitudes and practices to work respectfully with Indigenous peoples. This project will review the state of knowledge about child-focused professionals’ education and its impact on Indigenous children.
A team of interdisciplinary researchers, advised by Indigenous community members, will use an innovative childhood-centred project framework. The findings will lead to a framework for Indigenous pedagogy on childhood, a specialized field that bridges Indigenous studies and childhood studies.
“No synthesis has been published to date that maps existing knowledge about practices in education in child-focused professions and its impact on Indigenous peoples.”
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O'man's 'Nam'a (We are One) project: Unearthing Indigenous leadership principles through language
Sara Child, North Island College
Synopsis:
There have been recent advancements in context-specific work related to Indigenous leadership theory and its role in language revitalization. However, there is still work to be done on developing best practices for the inclusion of Indigenous languages in the revitalization of Indigenous leadership principles and programming. This includes applying Indigenous methodologies, pedagogy and language when passing on leadership principles to future generations.
This project will explore and synthesize existing research related to Indigenous leadership programming, and identify gaps in the knowledge on Indigenous concepts of leadership. Working in partnership with the Kwakwaka’wakw communities of British Columbia, the project will document local leadership principles, values, knowledge systems and connections to the land and sea expressed through the lens of the local Kwak’wala language.
Findings will serve to build a locally-relevant Indigenous leadership camp framework. The camp framework, and the framework development process, will be made available to other First Nations and Canadians to assist in developing locally-appropriate leadership programming embedded in local language and culture.
“The holistic nature of Indigenous knowledge means that the unearthed leadership principles will also help repair relationships with people, places, the land and sea, as the local Indigenous leadership principles incorporate all four.”
30 years of Aboriginal art in Quebec: Summary and overview
Jean-François Coté, Université du Québec à Montréal
Synopsis:
In 2017, Canadian, Quebec and Montréal art granting councils will implement important reforms to their programming and funding. This same year, marking Canada’s 150th anniversary and the 10th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, provides a timely moment to examine the contributions of Indigenous artists to culture and society.
This project will provide a panoramic view of the evolution and critical acclaim of Aboriginal artistic creation over the past 30 years in Quebec. Working in partnership with Ondinnok, a community organization, the research team will use historical, social and cultural data to map out significant contributions of Indigenous artists within, among others, theatre, poetry, literature, music, cinema, photography and architecture.
Findings will be used to generate a plan of action for Indigenous Québécois artists and, overall, help guide their future development and self-determination. Results will be presented at the Printemps autochtone d’Arts in Montréal in May 2017.
“It is very important to identify and characterize these aspects of contemporary Aboriginal artistic creation using empirical evidence and reference data, so that Aboriginal artists themselves, as well as university researchers and the general public, can acquire an informed understanding of the situation, as regards both the production and reception of Aboriginal artwork.”
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Recognizing Indigenous legal orders: Their content, embeddedness in distinct Indigenous epistemologies, and implications for reconciliation
Michael Coyle, Western University
Synopsis:
Indigenous legal orders were harshly suppressed during Canada’s colonization period. The Supreme Court of Canada recently recognized the importance of Aboriginal Peoples’ own legal systems, while the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the federal government have embraced principles to respect Indigenous law set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Scholars have also prioritized the revitalization of legal orders as a central objective of Indigenous self-determination.
The task of describing and analysing Indigenous legal orders is still an embryonic field of study. This project will examine publicly available writings on the nature of the orders, the content of the laws, and possible methods of revitalizing them in contemporary society.
The review will provide a critical resource to diverse Indigenous communities, scholars and policy-makers. It will also help guide private sector stakeholders in responding to and respecting Indigenous worldviews, values and legal orders.
“Following the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2015, Canada and Indigenous peoples have an unprecedented opportunity to support the task of describing, recovering, and giving practical effect to Indigenous legal orders.”
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Indigenous futures: Research sovereignty in a changing social science landscape
Michelle L. Dion, McMaster University
Synopsis:
Technological changes are ushering in a new era of social sciences data collection by researchers and government, including data collected on Indigenous individuals and communities. The social sciences have also become increasingly technical, with particularly sophisticated quantitative methodologies. Without sufficient resources to support and develop Indigenous peoples’ ability to keep up with these changes, and to critique, participate in and lead such research in their communities, Indigenous perspectives are at risk of being ignored or undervalued. This is particularly vital in instances of evidence-based policy-making.
This knowledge synthesis project will examine methodological trends in social science research on Indigenous issues in Canada and, in particular, the participation of Indigenous scholars and communities. This information will be used to determine the resources needed to ensure equal participation and self-determination of Indigenous peoples in social science research.
“The current Canadian government’s commitment to evidence-based policy-making increases the urgency of ensuring that Indigenous peoples have the institutional, organizational and human resources to actively critique, participate in and lead social science research with clear policy implications.”
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Update of the toolbox of principles for research in Indigenous contexts: Ethics, respect, fairness, reciprocity, cooperation and culture
Karine Gentelet, Université du Québec en Outaouais; Suzy Basile, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue; and Nancy Gros-Louis McHugh, First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Health and Social Services Commission
Synopsis:
There are few available resources that equip research stakeholders with practical tools to engage and conduct research with Indigenous communities. There is demand by both the scientific and the First Nations and Inuit communities for comprehensive and multi-disciplinary resources for ethical, collaborative research.
Building on the work of the First Nations of Quebec and Labrador Health and Social Services Commission in 2012, this project will update an online database of Indigenous research initiatives and protocols, both in Canada and abroad. Two new themes will be added, including governance ethics and ethics surrounding knowledge management, access and copyright. The project will include a series of training workshops for non-academic audiences.
“This knowledge synthesis project corresponds to a need that has clearly been established over many years both by the scientific community and by the Inuit and First Nations communities participating in the research.”
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Evaluation approaches for community change initiatives to address Aboriginal child and family well-being
Judy Gillespie, The University of British Columbia and Jason Albert, First Nations University
Synopsis:
The widespread Canadian and international overrepresentation of Aboriginal children and families in statutory child protection systems represents a complex social problem, which requires coordinated multisectoral community change efforts. Evaluating the impacts of such change initiatives is a major challenge, requiring methods that are meaningful to a wide range of stakeholders.
This project will address this challenge by synthesizing knowledge and identifying gaps across three domains: community change evaluation methods, relevant Indigenous research paradigms and methodologies, and evaluation practices and perspectives from those currently involved in such community change initiatives.
The synthesis will encompass broader Indigenous Ways of Knowing and methodologies specific to Canada’s diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. Project findings will contribute to research in community change initiatives, and offer direction for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal practitioners.
“Synthesis of the above knowledge will have national and international significance, enhancing knowledge for community change practices, particularly for those involved in community change efforts to enhance Aboriginal child and family well-being, and evidence-informed child welfare policy development.”
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Does entrepreneurship meet the aspirations of Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples?
Albert E. James, Dalhousie University
Synopsis:
In Canada, and around the world, entrepreneurship is touted as a key strategic pillar of economic and social development. This faith in entrepreneurship within Indigenous communities is demonstrated by the growth in Indigenous entrepreneurship research and education programs. It is guided by theories and frameworks and, more specifically, the sub-field of Indigenous Entrepreneurship.
This project will review literature to determine gaps in knowledge, and whether the theories and teachings within the field of Indigenous entrepreneurship align with the questions, priorities, aspirations and worldviews of Canada’s Indigenous peoples.
Results of the project will assist scholars and policy-makers in developing more informed theories and frameworks for Aboriginal Canadian entrepreneurship that take into account the realities and needs of Indigenous peoples, and in bringing about desired social changes.
“By identifying the gaps, meaningful conversations can occur between the policy-makers creating the entrepreneur programs, the academics who develop the theories of Indigenous entrepreneurship, and, most importantly, the people entrepreneurship is supposed to benefit.”
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Governance, entrepreneurship and fairness in Aboriginal tourism
Dominic Lapointe, Université du Québec à Montréal
Synopsis:
Aboriginal tourism has seen a steady rise across the globe over the last two decades. Scholars have analyzed the effects on local communities through multiple lenses, including economic benefits as well as the resulting environmental degradation and loss of traditions and identity.
The opportunity for Indigenous peoples to play a central role in decision-making related to tourism, and to reclaim control of territories, natural resources and heritage, is a critical issue for many communities. Very little research exists on this issue, particularly in the context of Canada’s diverse Indigenous peoples.
This project will review and synthesize different forms of tourism and governance processes taking place in Indigenous communities. This includes looking at participation levels of Indigenous peoples in entrepreneurship and decision-making amid unequal power relations with public and industry actors. The project will identify research gaps and develop a research agenda on this issue.
“[…] it is therefore very relevant to develop a knowledge synthesis on the subject in order to identify research needs, establish research priorities, and support Aboriginal communities that choose the path of tourism development.”
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Two-eyed seeing and intersectionality: Reconciling research approaches
Leah Levac, University of Guelph
Synopsis:
Building bridges between Indigenous and western knowledge systems and methodologies in the social sciences is a critical step towards addressing the legacy of colonization. The attempted erasure of Indigenous peoples’ knowledge and knowledge systems has been a detriment to us all. This includes the application of creativity and innovation in research approaches to advance social justice.
This project will focus on the use of the Indigenous concept of “two-eyed seeing,” which refers to combining the strengths of both Indigenous and western knowledge, and “intersectionality,” a perspective that explores how identities, social positions and systems of power interact to create inequities in society. The research team will synthesize knowledge about these paradigms, and explore collaborative research methods that align with the commitments of the concepts.
Findings will be used to encourage researchers across different domains to expand their methodological approaches as a way of advancing reconciliation.
“This research offers theoretical and methodological bridges for enhancing the quality of social science research in Canada, by revealing and connecting undervalued, intersecting, and dialectical approaches to knowledge creation.”
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Building together: Culturally appropriate housing for sustainable communities
Shelagh McCartney, Ryerson University
Synopsis:
Inadequate housing and community development are key contributors to the systemic marginalization of First Nations peoples living in remote and isolated reserve communities. Research and policy is often focused on eliminating a particular symptom linked to housing or community design, rather than addressing the system more broadly. These symptoms are identified through metrics used to measure or assess the housing.
This synthesis project will identify links between Indigenous knowledge systems and community infrastructure systems across a variety of disciplines, through the lens of using metrics to assess housing inadequacy. The research team will examine existing gaps between theory and practice, and identify best practices for developing community planning and housing systems.
Findings will be disseminated to First Nations housing authorities and housing directors, academics, practitioners, policy-makers and the public through workshops, webinars and written recommendations.
“By generating interdisciplinary recommendations for both practice and policy, this project will break down the current siloed approach to housing. Best practices and strategies will offer possible holistic solutions, while recognizing the unique context of remote and isolated First Nations communities.”
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Inuit Education Forum—A gathering to harness knowledge of Inuit education leaders
Melanie O’Gorman, The University of Winnipeg; Heather Ochalski, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami; Jodie Lane, Nunatsiavut Government; and Kathy Snow, Cape Breton University
Synopsis:
Educational attainment in Inuit regions is significantly lower than in the rest of Canada. Across the North, innovative teachers and administrators have developed and adapted materials, assessment tools and interventions to address this challenge and to meet the needs of Inuit learners. Much of this work, attuned to the complexity of successful schools in the North, remains unrecorded, underutilized and underevaluated.
Building on a 2013 forum on research priorities in Inuit education, this project will support a second forum on Inuit education. The forum will facilitate dialogue with current educators, and identify effective programing for improved education practice and policy across the North, from the Northwest Territories to Nunatsiavut. Results of the forum will be summarized through a film and an academic paper.
“By bringing together what is already known and/or being implemented by education practitioners in each of the four Inuit regions, this project will mobilize knowledge around current practice that is not readily available to northern policy-makers and educators and develop and prioritize initiatives.”
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Evaluation of the needs of Aboriginal students by school professionals: Fostering the implementation of promising practices based on informed decision-making
Sylvie Ouellet and Corina Borri-Anadon, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières
Synopsis:
Quebec classrooms are more diverse than ever. The number of Indigenous students in Quebec is steadily rising; given their diverse ethno-cultural, linguistic and religious backgrounds, they are particularly high-risk from the standpoint of academic success.
This project will take an inventory of promising evaluative practices employed by education professionals—orthopedagogists, speech therapists, psychologists, psychoeducators—who work with Indigenous students at the elementary and secondary levels. Findings will help identify effective practices that acknowledge and incorporate Indigenous students' characteristics, needs and capacities, and effective conditions to implement these practices in Quebec.
“The relevance of this knowledge synthesis is based on the central role played by promising evaluation practices in the implementation of adapted interventions that foster school integration and participation of all students, including Aboriginal students.”
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From Dene Kedǝ to Dene Ts'ı̨lı̨: Review of Dene language and cultural revitalization initiatives in the Sahtú region
Keren Rice, University of Toronto; Deborah Simmons, Sahtú Renewable Resources Board and University of Toronto; and Mary Ann Vital, Sahtú Dene Council
Synopsis:
In the 1970s and 1980s, the Dene Nations within the Sahtú Region of the Northwest Territories gained national and even international recognition for a series of ground-breaking initiatives in contemporary nationhood and land claim agreements. These included large-scale land use mapping projects, a program of traditional knowledge research and a series of agreements that have led towards contemporary self-government negotiations.
The implementation of ambitious pan-Sahtú projects has highlighted the realities of social-ecological, linguistic and cultural variation among and even within the five communities of the region, along with differences between community and regional governance processes. A strong spirit of self-determination now infuses regional discussions about language, culture and knowledge.
This project will review the history of Dene Kedǝ revitalization efforts by bringing the three elements of Dene language (Dene Kedǝ), Dene ways of life (Dene ts'ı̨lı̨) and Dene youth knowledge (Dene ts’ǫ́dane náowerǝ́) together. The end product will distill lessons learned from previous initiatives, account for changing contexts and visions embodied in contemporary regional and community governance systems, and lay the groundwork for next steps in revitalization.
“A knowledge synthesis project focused in the Sahtú Region has the benefit of offering an in-depth scoping of issues among language and culture advocates who know each other and have collaborated across several decades that is not possible in the kind of cross-regional forums that have prevailed in the NWT to date.”
Applying OCAP® to college research in Central Alberta: What do we know?
Krista Robson, Michelle Edwards Thomson and Vickie Cardinal-Widmark, Red Deer College
Synopsis:
Problems arising from a lack of meaningful involvement of Aboriginal Peoples in research projects can occur at any point in a project, and sometimes long after a project is "completed." As recognized within the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, postsecondary institutions, researchers and educators have roles to play in repairing relationships with Aboriginal communities.
This project will seek to synthesize current knowledge on the role of Research Ethics Boards in observing OCAP® [ownership, control, access and possession] principles for research involving Aboriginal individuals and communities. Findings will be shared with Aboriginal communities and broader academic and Research Ethics Board communities to ensure college boards are equipped with protocols and best practices that emphasize OCAP®.
“Researchers in colleges wanting to conduct research with Aboriginal participants do a daunting amount of research on the required ethical practices and protocols. Additionally, college researchers do research projects that are community-based, action-oriented and locally relevant, often with a priority on Aboriginal research. College Research Ethics Boards need to have protocols and best practices in place that emphasize the OCAP® principles and support meaningful and positive research relationships with Aboriginal communities.”
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Ethical rationality, Canadian applied linguists and Indigenous language revitalization
Mela Sarkar, McGill University and Andrea Sterzuk, University of Regina
Synopsis:
Most Indigenous languages in Canada are unlikely to survive without the help of massive revitalization efforts. The importance of these efforts is acknowledged by the Canadian Association of Applied Linguistics, and their commitment is evidenced by the Association’s support to learners, educators and researchers. However, the predominant theoretical background of members is in settler or modern applied languages. This has resulted in false assumptions in the application of appropriate teaching and learning frameworks in Indigenous language contexts.
The project will review resources in the public domain on language revitalization and Indigenous research ethics. The primary outcome of this project will be to provide tools for modern language linguists and educators to increase their knowledge and awareness of working with Indigenous communities in second language teaching. The results will be made available online and will be widely publicized.
“Responsible self-education and critical reflection on privilege, whiteness and settler-colonialism is the first step that professional applied linguists and L2 classroom teachers must take if they are to start building healthy, reciprocal relationships with Indigenous educators and communities in Canada engaged in language maintenance and revitalization work.”
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How can Aboriginal knowledge systems in Canada contribute to interdisciplinary research on the global extinction crisis?
Zoe Todd, Carleton University and Audra Mitchell, Wilfred Laurier University
Synopsis:
The Earth is in the midst of accelerated extinctions that may eliminate three-quarters of existing species within a few centuries. Widespread drivers—including climate change, the destruction of ecosystems and resource extractions—and mainstream conservation techniques rooted in western scientific and secular logic threaten the well-being of Indigenous peoples in Canada and worldwide.
This project will examine how Aboriginal knowledge systems can contribute to the interdisciplinary study of the global extinction crisis. The project will review Canadian Aboriginal knowledge, and identify challenges and gaps in the mainstream traditional ecological knowledge/Indigenous knowledge paradigm literature, including the tendency of the paradigm to marginalize distinct Aboriginal knowledge systems.
Findings will support important steps toward decolonizing knowledge on the crisis, and present alternatives to dominant conservation-based approaches and practices.
“Given the centrality of Indigenous relationships to land and non-humans, it is crucial for Canadian policy-makers and scientists to understand the plural ways that Indigenous nations and people relate and mobilize responses to extinction and its global drivers.”
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Exploring the path to Métis self-governance in Canada: A synthesis of existing research knowledge
Anita L. Tucker, University of Guelph
Synopsis:
Unlike the First Nations or Inuit peoples, Métis lack historical recognition from the Canadian government, as government has traditionally overlooked the Métis when negotiating treaties. Over the past several years, Métis peoples across Canada have started to declare their unique identity and rights in various ways, which has led to many challenges in the court system and decisions that have altered the policy landscape in a relatively short time.
In collaboration with the Métis Nation of Ontario, this synthesis project will provide an up-to-date snapshot of the literature and knowledge gaps relevant to advancing Métis rights and self-governance, across multiple academic disciplines. The project results will provide a baseline to inform, advance and improve future research, and contribute to public policy and Métis self-governance capacity.
“The synthesis will assist policy dialogue by informing public debate on the most comprehensive and relevant literature, and assist government and Métis decision-making around policies and practices that support Métis self-governance in Canada.”
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Unlocking the chronicle of an Inuit community: Hopedale, Nunatsiavut
Mark David Turner and Hans J. Rollmann, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Synopsis:
Since the eighteenth century, the Moravian Church has documented its presence in Nunatsiavut/Labrador in great detail. The Church’s archival materials and print publications provide a significant window into Labrador’s Inuit past. They include valuable data on Inuit demographics, mobility, social organization, habitation, culture, education and language. However, because of their largely German-language composition and geographic distribution across two continents, access to the microfilm and specialized collections has been restricted among a limited number of academics.
Building on a SSHRC-funded project, Tradition and Transition Among the Labrador Inuit Research Partnership, and in partnership with the community of Hopedale, Nunatsiavut, and Memorial University, the project will make a number of these rich archival holdings meaningfully accessible to the Inuit peoples of Labrador. The knowledge gained from the material will contribute to regional decision-making in the areas of heritage and culture, as well as education and archival resource management.
“Our efforts are directed at making this content work in the service of the contemporary culture and contemporary challenges faced by the community in a focused manner that builds upon stated objectives.”
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Indigenous Inclusive Early Childhood Service System Synthesis Project: Embedding Indigenous perspectives in early childhood education, care and intervention
Kathryn Underwood, Ryerson University
Synopsis:
There is clear evidence that early intervention can improve developmental outcomes for young children and, for example, reduce the need for special education. However, Indigenous children and their families lack clear access to a range of early intervention services. Findings show rates of childhood disability in Indigenous communities at almost double the rate of those of the general population, which is deeply concerning.
Building on a SSHRC Partnership Development Grant that includes a three-year longitudinal study, this project will look at the accessibility of early intervention strategies and their alignment to the values and culture of Indigenous children and their families.
Findings will contribute to research on multiple ways of thinking about service system planning and towards interdisciplinary research on health, education and social services. The synthesized findings will inform broader decision-making practices in early intervention specific to Indigenous children.
“Few studies have specifically examined early intervention services from an Indigenous perspective. Without a clear understanding of what Indigenous early interventions might be, it is impossible to embed Indigenous values and culture within early intervention practices.”
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Social participation of Aboriginal elders and intergenerational solidarity: Knowledge synthesis intended to support the well-being of Aboriginal communities
Chantal Viscogliosi and Hugo Asselin, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue; and Mélanie Levasseur, Université de Sherbrooke, and collaborators
Synopsis:
The aging population in Indigenous communities once held important traditional social roles. These roles were since replaced in part by public services. Since then, communities have not seen the significant disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples addressed.
The revitalization of these social roles has the potential to contribute to increased self-governance and community development. Increased social participation of elderly Aboriginal Peoples and enhanced intergenerational solidarity can help build greater resilience and well-being of communities and respect for their values.
Writings on this topic are very fragmented. This project will review both scientific research and community knowledge on social participation of Indigenous aging populations, and resilience and well-being. Findings will contribute to developing a research-to-action agenda.
“Because elders play an important role in Aboriginal communities, taking into account intergenerational dynamics is essential to a holistic perspective of well-being.”
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Taking research off the shelf: Synthesizing existing sources of knowledge about impacts, benefits, and participatory or consultative processes around extractive industry in northern Alberta
Clinton Westman, University of Saskatchewan
Synopsis:
Northern Alberta is increasingly one of the most heavily industrialized regions of Canada. Many Aboriginal Peoples in the region reside and depend on the land for sustenance. Striking a balance between challenging industry projects—or supporting them for the employment they provide for their youth—can be divisive.
This project will examine the state of knowledge on the sustainability, impacts and benefits of the extractive industry (primarily oil sands and heavy oil) related to Cree, Dene and Métis communities in northern Alberta, including women and youth. It will, in particular, seek to clarify community participation in consultations, impact assessments, advisory committees, governance bodies and similar social license processes at a practical level.
Findings will support communities and decision-makers assessing strategic options, and scholars in addressing future research gaps.
“While focusing on Alberta through a well-developed case study, our report will provide important insights into sustainability and social license questions relevant across Canada and beyond.”
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Indigenous, industry and government perspectives on consultation in resource development
Jennifer Winter, Brendan Boyd and Sophie Lorefice, University of Calgary
Synopsis:
Canadian courts have established that government has a duty to consult with Indigenous communities and, where appropriate, accommodate the communities’ concerns when approving and shaping resource development projects. However, meaningful input by Indigenous peoples into actual decision-making has often been controversial.
This project will explore how the various actors involved in consultation understand and apply the concept of “duty to consult.” The research will identify promising practices that can strengthen the link between consultation processes and mutually agreeable outcomes, improving relationships between the actors involved in resource development.
“Despite multiple academic disciplines addressing consultation, there is little work that examines how the different actors view the concept of consultation and how this affects the outcomes that result.”
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How we are coming to know: Ways in which Indigenous and non-Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing might circulate together in mathematics and science teaching and learning
Dawn Wiseman, McGill University
Synopsis:
Over the last decade, most provinces and territories have mandated the integration of Indigenous perspectives across all K–12 curricula. However, reconciling epistemological and ontological tensions between Indigenous and non-Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing can prove challenging in mathematics and science teaching and learning.
This project will conduct a large-scale analysis of how educators in Canada are attempting to engage with Indigenous perspectives in mathematics and science curricula, both K-12 and in teacher education. It will also consider how such engagement might affect educational outcomes for all learners in Canada. The analysis will locate gaps and identify emerging themes and promising practices in broadening efforts and understanding on this issue. Researchers will also look at the contribution of Indigenous knowledge systems to interdisciplinary collaboration, and the breakdown of boundaries between subject areas in teaching and learning.
The project will include online symposia. Elders, local knowledge holders, teachers and other academics will comprise a circle of advisors that will support a more thorough and inclusive analysis.
“We expect this work will particularly draw attention to the methodological gaps that will be identified through our meta-analysis, such as how to form relationships with partners in healing ways, how to ensure that timelines fit the needs and constraints of communities, how to work together in a good way, and how to share findings in a way that honours the contexts in which they emerged.”
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