First nation policing program and policy-making

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 54-57
Author(s):  
Dalton Breutigam ◽  
Elisabeth Fortier
Keyword(s):  
First Nations ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Expert Advice ◽  
Small Communities ◽  
Police Services ◽  
Privacy Act ◽  
Effective Community

The well-being of Indigenous peoples in Canada has been impacted by the historical interactions between the federal government and Indigenous communities. There is currently an over representation of Indigenous peoples in the justice system and a lack of police services meeting the cultural needs of First Nations communities. The Canadian government has instituted a program to assist in the appropriate delivery of police services to Indigenous communities through the First Nations Policing Program (FNPP). The purpose of this research is to explore how federal policing authorities make decisions about Indigenous policing, specifically the FNPP. Various methods of research were used, such as searching through publicly available federal policy documents and data. These resources were acquired by requesting information through the Access to Information and Privacy Act. The findings of this research demonstrate that the FNPP attempts to undertake consultations for the development of appropriate policies for First Nations communities. However, this consultation can be undermined by groupthink in small communities. Consultations might be improved using the Delphi principle, a method that assists in developing suitable policies for policing. The relevance of this discussion extends beyond the important issue of Indigenous over-representation in the justice system, also addressing the need for effective community policing for the unique circumstances of each community. Balancing community-focused expert advice using the Delphi method, and considering the risk of groupthink, consultation processes may allow individual communities to move towards effective policing using the FNPP.

scholarly journals Cannabis, Reconciliation, and the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: Prospects and Challenges for Cannabis Legalization in Canada

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Konstantia Koutouki ◽  
Katherine Lofts
Keyword(s):  
First Nations ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
New Era ◽  
Real Risk ◽  
Inuit Peoples

The provisions of the federal Cannabis Act came into force on 17 October 2018, opening a new era of cannabis management in Canada. We examine cannabis in Canada through the lens of reconciliation and the rights of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples. There is potential for Indigenous communities to benefit from cannabis legalization, but also a very real risk that the new legal framework will simply perpetuate existing injustices. We show that the new legislation is inadequate both in terms of lack of consultation with Indigenous communities, as well as in terms of substantive provisions — and omissions — in the legislation itself.

Indigenous Studies in the United States and Canada

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aubrey Jean Hanson ◽  
Sam McKegney
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Native American ◽  
First Nations ◽  
Indigenous People ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Ways Of Knowing ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
The United States ◽  
Literary Studies ◽  
Indigenous Voices

Indigenous literary studies, as a field, is as diverse as Indigenous Peoples. Comprising study of texts by Indigenous authors, as well as literary study using Indigenous interpretive methods, Indigenous literary studies is centered on the significance of stories within Indigenous communities. Embodying continuity with traditional oral stories, expanding rapidly with growth in publishing, and traversing a wild range of generic innovation, Indigenous voices ring out powerfully across the literary landscape. Having always had a central place within Indigenous communities, where they are interwoven with the significance of people’s lives, Indigenous stories also gained more attention among non-Indigenous readers in the United States and Canada as the 20th century rolled into the 21st. As relationships between Indigenous Peoples (Native American, First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) and non-Indigenous people continue to be a social, political, and cultural focus in these two nation-states, and as Indigenous Peoples continue to work for self-determination amid colonial systems and structures, literary art plays an important role in representing Indigenous realities and inspiring continuity and change. An educational dimension also exists for Indigenous literatures, in that they offer opportunities for non-Indigenous readerships—and, indeed, for readers from within Indigenous nations—to learn about Indigenous people and perspectives. Texts are crucially tied to contexts; therefore, engaging with Indigenous literatures requires readers to pursue and step into that beauty and complexity. Indigenous literatures are also impressive in their artistry; in conveying the brilliance of Indigenous Peoples; in expressing Indigenous voices and stories; in connecting pasts, presents, and futures; and in imagining better ways to enact relationality with other people and with other-than-human relatives. Indigenous literatures span diverse nations across vast territories and materialize in every genre. While critics new to the field may find it an adjustment to step into the responsibility—for instance, to land, community, and Peoplehood—that these literatures call for, the returns are great, as engaging with Indigenous literatures opens up space for relationship, self-reflexivity, and appreciation for exceptional literary artistry. Indigenous literatures invite readers and critics to center in Indigeneity, to build good relations, to engage beyond the text, and to attend to Indigenous storyways—ways of knowing, being, and doing through story.

scholarly journals Effects of food policy actions on Indigenous Peoples’ nutrition-related outcomes: a systematic review

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (8) ◽  
pp. e002442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Browne ◽  
Mark Lock ◽  
Troy Walker ◽  
Mikaela Egan ◽  
Kathryn Backholer
Keyword(s):  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Food Policy ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Nutrition Policy ◽  
Policy Framework ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
Food And Nutrition ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionIndigenous Peoples worldwide endure unacceptable health disparities with undernutrition and food insecurity often coexisting with obesity and chronic diseases. Policy-level actions are required to eliminate malnutrition in all its forms. However, there has been no systematic synthesis of the evidence of effectiveness of food and nutrition policies for Indigenous Peoples around the world. This review fills that gap.MethodsEight databases were searched for peer-reviewed literature, published between 2000 and 2019. Relevant websites were searched for grey literature. Articles were included if they were original studies, published in English and included data from Indigenous Peoples from Western colonised countries, evaluated a food or nutrition policy (or intervention), and provided quantitative impact/outcome data. Study screening, data extraction and quality assessment were undertaken independently by two authors, at least one of whom was Indigenous. A narrative synthesis was undertaken with studies grouped according to the NOURISHING food policy framework.ResultsWe identified 78 studies from Canada, Australia, Aotearoa/New Zealand and the USA. Most studies evaluated targeted interventions, focused on rural or remote Indigenous communities. The most effective interventions combined educational strategies with policies targeting food price, composition and/or availability, particularly in retail and school environments. Interventions to reduce exposure to unhealthy food advertising was the only area of the NOURISHING framework not represented in the literature. Few studies examined the impact of universal food policies on Indigenous Peoples’ diets, health or well-being.ConclusionBoth targeted and universal policy action can be effective for Indigenous Peoples. Actions that modify the structures and systems governing food supply through improved availability, access and affordability of healthy foods should be prioritised. More high-quality evidence on the impact of universal food and nutrition policy actions for Indigenous Peoples is required, particularly in urban areas and in the area of food marketing.

scholarly journals Measuring What Counts to Advance Indigenous Self-Determination: A Case Study of the Nisg̱a’a Lisims Government’s Quality of Life Framework and Survey

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Bouchard ◽  
Adam Perry ◽  
Shannon West-Johnson ◽  
Thierry Rodon ◽  
Michelle Vanchu-Orosco
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
First Nations ◽  
Qualitative Method ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Participatory Approach ◽  
Self Determination

Abstract Modern Treaties are presented as a means for improving the lives of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada by providing specific rights, and negotiated benefits. However, the positive impacts of Modern Treaties on Indigenous well-being are contested (Borrows and Coyle 2017; Coulthard 2014; Guimond et al. 2013; Miller 2009; Poelzer and Coates 2015). Developing a more transparent, consistent, collaborative and contextual way of measuring well-being relevant to the cultural realities of Modern Treaty beneficiaries is an important step for generating comparative methods that could systematically demonstrate whether, and under what conditions, such agreements can effectively reduce socio-economic disparities and improve the quality of life of Indigenous communities. The authors first examine previous attempts at measuring Indigenous well-being, then reflect on well-being in relation to the Modern Treaty context. Subsequently, the authors provide an example from one Self-Governing Indigenous Government, the Nisga’a Lisims Government, to collect well-being data through the Nisga’a Nation Household Survey using a mixed quantitative-qualitative method developed through a culturally grounded and participatory approach.

scholarly journals Traditional Knowledge: Considerations for Protecting Water in Ontario

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah McGregor
Keyword(s):  
First Nations ◽  
Traditional Knowledge ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Regulatory Documents ◽  
Nations People ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
First Nations People ◽  
Ways Of Life

In Canada, the water crisis increasingly felt around the world is being experienced primarily in small, usually Indigenous, communities. At the heart of this issue lies an ongoing struggle to have Indigenous voices heard in the decision-making processes that affect their lives, lands, and waters. As part of ancient systems of Traditional Knowledge (TK), Indigenous people bear the knowledge and the responsibility to care for the waters upon which they depend for survival. A series of internationally developed documents has supported Indigenous peoples’ calls for increased recognition of the importance of TK in resolving environmental crises, including those involving water. Ontario provincial and Canadian federal governments have been developing legislative and regulatory documents to help fend off further water-related catastrophes within their jurisdictions. Despite such efforts, a number of barriers to the successful and appropriate involvement of TK in water management remain. Based on years of community-based and policy-related research with First Nations people involved in water-related undertakings, this article highlights progress made to date, and provides Indigenous viewpoints on what further steps need to be taken. Key among these steps are the need to restore and maintain Indigenous access to traditional territories and ways of life, and the requirement for mutually respectful collaboration between TK and Western science.

scholarly journals Qualitative Health Research Involving Indigenous Peoples: Culturally Appropriate Data Collection Methods

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Wright ◽  
Olive Wahoush ◽  
Marilyn Ballantyne ◽  
Chelsea Gabel ◽  
Susan Jack
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
First Nations ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Indigenous Populations ◽  
Policy Statement ◽  
Culturally Appropriate ◽  
Data Collection Methods ◽  
Collection Methods

Historically, health research involving Indigenous peoples has been fraught with problems, including researchers not addressing Indigenous research priorities and then subsequently often failing to utilize culturally appropriate methods. Given this historical precedence, some Indigenous populations may be reluctant to participate in research projects. In response to these concerns, the Government of Canada has developed the Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS2): Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples of Canada, which stipulates the requirements for research collaborations with Indigenous communities. Utilizing this policy as an ethical standard for research practices, this paper describes, critiques and synthesizes the literature on culturally appropriate oral-data collection methods, excluding interviews and focus groups, for use with Indigenous people in Canada. Results suggest that photovoice, symbol-based reflection, circles and story-telling can be methodologically rigorous and culturally appropriate methods of collecting data with this population. Suggestions are made for researchers wishing to use these methods to promote respectful and collaborative research partnerships with Indigenous peoples in Canada.

scholarly journals Economic Aspects of the Indigenous Experience in Canada

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anya Hageman ◽  
◽  
Pauline Galoustian
Keyword(s):  
First Nations ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Economic History ◽  
Teaching Method ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Economic Potential ◽  
Discussion Forums ◽  
Chronological Order ◽  
Late Twentieth ◽  
Late Twentieth Century

This text explores the economic history and economic potential of Indigenous peoples in Canada. It discusses which institutional arrangements hold them back economical and which institutions assist them going forward, and considers which norms do Indigenous communities hold that inform their priorities and economic behaviour. <> Chapters 1 and 2 introduce the Indigenous Peoples of Canada – First Nations, Métis and Inuit – and their current demographic and income statistics. Chapters 3-12 describe their cultures, economies and geopolitics up until the late twentieth century. Chapters 13 and 14 discuss how discrimination against minorities can be modeled and measured. Finally, Chapters 15+ describe present-day issues in the economic development of Indigenous communities. <> Note for Instructors: Instructors may wish to begin the term of study with presentations or readings on the peoples indigenous to the school’s location. As the course progresses, instructors can lead students to discover how the topics covered in the book apply to local communities past and present. Instructors can also make students aware of local opportunities for Indigenous – non-Indigenous interaction and cooperation. This text flows in chronological order until Chapter 12. Instructors should use their own discretion about whether and when they want to use Chapters 12-14. Chapter 15 picks up the historical thread. The use of talking circles and other discussion forums is recommended, as conversation is a traditional Indigenous teaching method, and the issues covered in this book are emotionally weighty.

scholarly journals Renewable energy and energy autonomy: how Indigenous peoples in Canada are shaping an energy future

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert D. Stefanelli ◽  
Chad Walker ◽  
Derek Kornelsen ◽  
Diana Lewis ◽  
Debbie H. Martin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
First Nations ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Keyword Search ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Energy Autonomy

In 2015, the Liberal Party of Canada formed a majority federal government on a platform that included prioritizing Nation-to-Nation relationships with Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) peoples in the country and re-asserting global leadership in climate change action by moving away from fossil-fuel based extraction and toward renewable energy initiatives. It may be argued that addressing both of these issues, advancing Indigenous–Settler reconciliation, and mitigating climate change, can be done in the same space. Indeed, though Indigenous peoples in Canada and elsewhere have recently moved forward with renewable energy initiatives within their Territories, there has been very little critical analysis on just how such projects have been operationalized and whether renewable energy can or even should be considered a vehicle for reconciliation efforts. In this paper, we present a systematic review of Canadian literature (spanning from 1980 to 2017) concerning Indigenous peoples’ involvement in renewable energy to better understand the stated motivations and desires of Indigenous peoples in Canada taking leadership, partnering in, and (or) participating in the renewable energy sector. Using a series of keyword search strings across three academic databases, two theses databases, and a grey literature search, we retrieved literature (n = 980) that was subjected to four exclusionary forms and then thematically analyzed the included literature (n = 26). Our findings suggest Indigenous peoples’ experiences and motivations are varied, yet many are developing renewable energy in their Territories to: break free of colonial ties, move towards energy autonomy, establish more reliable energy systems, and reap the long-term financial benefits that clean energy can provide. Despite the apparent advantages seen throughout most of the literature reviewed here, we suggest further research in this area is necessary before this kind of positive rhetoric of renewable energy in Indigenous communities builds enough momentum that proponents become blind to possible shortcomings. We conclude with a broader discussion of the interactions between Indigenous–Settler reconciliation in the context of renewable energy projects as well as offering indicators for future research to fill current knowledge gaps.

scholarly journals Indigenous Mental Health: Imagining a Future Where Action Follows Obligations and Promises

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Constance MacIntosh
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
First Nations ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Current State ◽  
The Status ◽  
State Obligations ◽  
Indigenous Mental Health ◽  
Inuit Peoples ◽  
Mental Well Being

This article considers what it would mean if Canada fulfilled select existing commitments and obligations concerning the mental health needs of Indigenous peoples, as identified through current programs and recent jurisprudence: that is, where would we be if Canada carried through on existing commitments? After identifying the role of law in perpetuating poor mental well-being, it assesses programs for First Nations and Inuit peoples and determines they are unlikely to be effective without operational changes and responsive funding. The article then turns to the situation of Metis and non-status First Nations and the implications of Daniels v. Canada for changing the status quo – both by requiring appropriate mental health supports, and by dismantling the racist legal logic that has long undermined the mental well-being of non-status First Nations and Metis persons, by positioning them as not counting as true Indigenous peoples. The article concludes that merely fulfilling current state obligations could bring considerable short-term gains, and some long-term gains, for the mental well-being of Indigenous peoples in Canada.

scholarly journals First Nations Children Count: Enveloping Quantitative Research in an Indigenous Envelope

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cindy Blackstock
Keyword(s):  
First Nations ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Ways Of Knowing ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Indigenous Communities ◽  
Practice Change ◽  
Indigenous Research ◽  
Rich Diversity

Indigenous peoples repeatedly call for disaggregated data describing their experience to inform socio-economic and political policy and practice change (United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, 2003; UNICEF, 2003; Rae & the Sub Group on Indigenous Children and Youth, 2006). Although there has been significant discourse on the destructive historical role of western research with Indigenous communities (RCAP, 1996; Smith, 1999; Schnarch, 2004) and more recently on cultural adaptation of qualitative research methods (Smith, 1999; Bennet, 2004; Kovach, 2007), there has been very little discussion on how to envelope western quantitative social science research within Indigenous ways of knowing and being. This paper begins by outlining the broad goals of Indigenous research before focusing on how quantitative research is used, and represented, in the translation of Indigenous realities in child health and child welfare. Given the rich diversity of Indigenous peoples and their knowledges, this paper is only capable of what respected Indigenous academic Margo Greenwood (2007) would term “touching the mountaintops’ of complex and sacred ideas.

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