Research involving Indigenous communities in Canada has historically been conducted without the full partnership of those communities. Often, it has been driven by priorities set outside the communities rather than being led by the communities themselves. The National Research Council of Canada's (NRC) Ocean program is supporting change that will help researchers contribute to advancing the Government of Canada's goals of Reconciliation.
Marie-Chantal Ross, Director of the Ocean program, says that if your objective is to develop the sustainable use of ocean resources—a goal encapsulated by the term 'blue economy' and one which lies at the heart of the Ocean program—"you cannot do that without considering Indigenous communities, many of which are coastal."
The blue economy, Ross says, is outpacing the growth of the land-based economy, and is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world. As this growth happens, she's considering, "How do we make sure we have an inclusive growth strategy that incorporates Indigenous perspectives? How do we make sure we're not marginalizing people?"
Improving collaborative science with Indigenous communities
The 'Understanding best practices towards Indigenous engagement in blue economy research' project grew out of a conversation Ross had with Eli Enns and Terry Dorward of the IISAAK OLAM Foundation, whose work empowers Indigenous Peoples to lead conservation efforts. They saw an opportunity to work together to improve how science is done with Indigenous communities.
Enns, an advisor to the Reconciliation Through Engineering Initiative (RTEI) at the University of Toronto and a member of the Tla-o-qui-aht Nation, connected Ross with the RTEI, which has had success since its formation in 2018 in advancing the field of engineering research in support of Reconciliation.
Funded by the NRC, the RTEI team interviewed 35 Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers as well as 4 Indigenous communities from across Canada to better understand their lived experiences in collaborative research, what challenges they encountered, and the priorities they see going forward.
Dr. Heather Greenwood, a postdoctoral fellow with RTEI, acknowledges there is massive diversity between Indigenous communities. With that in mind, Dr. Greenwood says the goal of the project is not to produce a checklist for researchers to follow. Rather, the report and associated outreach products they are creating, aim to show examples of how this work is really done, and to show how this work centres on listening and adapting.
Breaking down barriers with compassion and understanding
Dorward believes the project will be well received by Indigenous communities. He says there's a lot of work to be done in communities, and that it requires working with engineers who are respectful and open-minded regarding Indigenous priorities. "This project is breaking down barriers," he says. "We're on the right track with having more compassion and understanding."
Terry Dorward and Eli Enns are taking a 'two-eyed seeing' approach to scientific research, working alongside researchers to explore new technologies while ensuring the research remains deeply rooted in Indigenous traditions, including the protection of biodiversity. From their perspective, the blue economy must include access to traditional foods like wild salmon—and, as Dorward emphasizes, that requires a healthy ecosystem
When evaluating a blue economy strategy, Dorward says "it's not only creating jobs within the blue economy, but also protecting a way of life, so that we're not just going to have sustainability, but an abundance for future generations."
Challenging conventional approaches to scientific inquiry
The challenges for science and engineering researchers, according to Dr. Amy Bilton, associate professor and director of the Centre for Global Engineering at the University of Toronto, are often institutional. Dr. Bilton says that even though engineers and other technical researchers work with communities, there is no formal training, and often little guidance or support.
Working with communities also challenges the status quo of the scientific process, wherein researchers typically choose research questions, then seek funding, which sets deadlines for research outputs. Then they publish. The publication process is connected to a perception of success as a researcher ('publish or perish'), as well as a central means to assessing the contributions of a researcher to their field.
These notions are turned on their head when working with Indigenous communities. Dr. Greenwood notes that communities are advocating for themselves. From their perspective, she says, research is a tool to reach specific community goals. To do effective research with Indigenous communities, the project and RTEI's past experience has taught them that questions need to be developed in cooperation with Indigenous communities, or even by Indigenous communities independently. Typical research timelines often will not work for communities, and it may be that the communities will not want results shared openly, as through peer-reviewed publication.
Ross says that if you're doing community research, "you have to focus on relationship building and on the long-term goals of the community. Researchers working with Indigenous communities need to know that their success will be measured by a different metrestick."