Indigenous research principles & protocols

Indigenous data sovereignty

Research involving First Nations, Inuit, Métis or other Indigenous communities must follow specific considerations and protocols about how research data are managed. These are defined by those communities and respect their sovereignty over their information.

See resources on Indigenous sovereignty on the library website.

First Nations principles of OCAP

Every First Nation has the right to make informed decisions about its information and how it is collected, accessed, used and shared. The First Nations principles of OCAP® are a tool they can use to assert this right. They establish how First Nations’ data, information and cultural knowledge should be collected, accessed, used and shared. OCAP® stands for:

• Ownership – First Nations communities or groups own their data collectively
• Control – First Nations communities can control all aspects of the research cycle that impact them directly
• Access – First Nations retain access to the data, regardless of where it is held
• Possession – First Nations retain physical control of the data

The OCAP® Principles of data governance outline how to interact with First Nations data.

Quick facts about OCAP

SSHRC guidelines

Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans – TCPS 2 (2022) – Chapter 9: Research Involving the First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples of Canada covers the guidelines in establishing ethical space for conducting research involving Indigenous Peoples.

It outlines key concepts on interpreting ethics framework on Indigenous context, the nature and extent of community engagement, and how to respect:

• governing authorities in the community
• the diverse interest in the community
• customs and practices in the community