The Indigenous Leadership Circle in Research (ILCR) is calling for an immediate and urgent meeting with Canadian government officials to address a range of pressing Indigenous research issues related to the establishment of the new federal capstone research organization.
In the 2024 Canadian federal government budget, a new “capstone” research funding organization was announced to integrate and streamline research funding across existing granting agencies, aiming to enhance interdisciplinary and mission-driven research initiatives while maintaining current programs and investments currently under the auspices of the tri-agency councils (CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC). This lofty government mandate seeks to address longstanding challenges in coordination and international representation within Canada’s research ecosystem. Yet, many questions and challenges remain, particularly for members of the Indigenous Leadership Circle who are seeking to understand and clarify the Canadian government’s commitment to Indigenous research.
The Indigenous Research Leadership Circle (Circle) is an independent internal and external advisory body established to guide and support the tri-agency in advancing Indigenous self-determination in research (see background below). The Circle does not see sufficient evidence of Indigenous engagement within the Report of the Advisory Panel on the Federal Research Support System (2022), nor in the approach proposed by the government to date. This includes a lack of engagement with the Circle directly, despite the outlined responsibility that it has been tasked with by the Government of Canada.
“We were deeply troubled to discover that the Report on the Advisory Panel on the Federal Research Support System included one “Indigenous representative”, Dr. Vianne Timmons who later admitted to falsely claiming Indigenous ancestry. This means that there was no Indigenous representation to support the development of the report even though it has deeply informed the development of Canada’s new capstone research organization.” (Dr. Amy Parent, Co-Chair of the Indigenous Research Leadership Circle & Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Education and Governance (Tier 2) Simon Fraser University).
“This is alarming, we need to ensure that we have time to meet with our respective Indigenous governing bodies and relevant decision makers like the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, and the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health, John Hannaford, Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet of Canada and with the Prime Minister’s Office before the July 17, 2024 consultation deadline. We need more time for meaningful engagement with all Indigenous rightsholders, as three weeks for consultation is not enough time.” (Dr. Amy Parent, Co-Chair of the Indigenous Research Leadership Circle & Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Education and Governance (Tier 2) Simon Fraser University).
“Members of the Circle are willing to engage as necessary in the achievement of the goals of the Setting New Directions to Support Indigenous Research and Research Training in Canada 2019- 2026 (SIRC Strategic Plan) and take our responsibilities seriously in the fulfillment of these goals. We are most happy to continue discussions, and trust that in moving forward, greater engagement will occur with both our Circle and Rights bearing Indigenous peoples across the lands now known as Canada” (Dr. Lee Wilson, Co-Chair for the Indigenous Leadership Circle in Research & Professor, Department of Chemistry, University of Saskatchewan)
The Government has committed to share further details on the creation of the new organization in the 2024 Fall Economic Statement. To support the development of the new capstone organization, the Government of Canada has asked the tri-agency councils to jointly undertake engagement with the research community under tight timeline by July 17, 2024. This limited allotted time for engagement is anticipated to build on engagement carried out by the Advisory Panel on the Federal Research Support System.
Dr. Amy Parent, Co-Chair Indigenous Research Leadership Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Governance and Education (Tier 2)
Inaugural Associate Director, Cassidy Centre for Educational Justice
Associate Professor, Faculty of Education Simon Fraser University
Dr. Lee D. Wilson, Co-Chair Indigenous Research Leadership Circle
Professor, Department of Chemistry University of Saskatchewan
The Indigenous Research Leadership Circle’s mandate includes ensuring that Indigenous perspectives, rights, protocols and methodologies are respected and integrated into research policies, programs, and funding decisions. It has also been tasked to monitor the progress and implementation of the Strengthening Indigenous Research Capacity (SIRC) Strategic Plan: Setting New Directions to Support Indigenous Research and Research Training in Canada 2019- 2026 (SIRC Strategic Plan).
In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) released its final report, Honouring the Truth, Reconciling for the Future, which identified 94 Calls to Action and highlighted the importance of research in advancing the understanding of reconciliation. Among the Calls to Action, ten principles of reconciliation were presented – notable among them being that reconciliation requires constructive action to address the ongoing legacies of colonialism (no. 4), along with political will, joint leadership, trust building, accountability, transparency, and a substantial investment of resources (no. 9). In addition to these actions, the TRC called on the federal government – in collaboration with Indigenous Peoples – to establish a national research program with multi-year funding to advance understanding of reconciliation (no. 65).
In response to these Calls to Action, the Government of Canada tasked the Canada Research Coordinating Committee (CRCC) to co-develop, with Indigenous partners, a strategic plan to increase the capacity of Indigenous communities to conduct research and partner with the broader research community. To this end, a national dialogue with Indigenous communities was created to develop an interdisciplinary Indigenous research and research training model that contributes to reconciliation. The product of this endeavour was the Strengthening Indigenous Research Capacity (SIRC) Strategic Plan: Setting New Directions to Support Indigenous Research and Research Training in Canada 2019-2026.
The Strategic Plan was approved by the CRCC and will be implemented by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) – collectively known as the Tri-Agency – and the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) CFI will consider those elements of the strategy that touch on its research infrastructure funding activities. The Tri-Agency and CFI presidents will provide oversight, monitor progress and implementation of the plan while the CRCC will receive periodic updates on milestones and/or issues as they arise.
The Strategic Plan lays out four strategic directions:
The latter called for the creation of an Indigenous Leadership Circle in Research to serve as an external and independent advisory committee to the agencies.
Recognizing the complexities of ongoing colonialism, systemic transformation in our institutions and research practices is required. As such, the ILCR works to: identify concerns related to systemic inequities in Indigenous research and funding priorities; support respectful collaboration and meaningful partnerships based on free, informed and prior consent; support self-determination and capacity building in research and in leadership; and champion and amplify exemplars in respectful ways to support the realization of a collective vision.
The ILCR recognizes the following international, national, and provincial legislation, laws and agreements that guides the monitoring and implementation of the Strengthening Indigenous Research Capacity (SIRC) Strategic Plan: Setting New Directions to Support Indigenous Research and Research Training in Canada 2019-2022 (SIRC Strategic Plan):
Cassidy Centre for Educational Justice
Faculty of Education Simon Fraser University
Unceded Coast Salish Territories Lhuḵw’lhuḵw’áyten
8888 University Drive Burnaby BC V5A 1S6 Canada
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