First Nations Information Governance Centre

First Nations Information Governance Centre
Founded2010 (incorporated)
TypeFirst Nations non-profit organization
HeadquartersAkwesasne, Ontario
Key people
Jonathan Dewar (CEO)
Websitehttps://fnigc.ca/

The First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC) is an Ontario, Canada-based non-profit organization working in the field of First Nations data sovereignty. The organization is known for its comprehensive national surveys, which include the First Nations Regional Health Survey (FNRHS), and focus on the health and socio-economic conditions of First Nations people in Canada.[1][2]

History

In 1996, the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) provided a mandate for a national First Nations and Inuit health survey. A National Steering Committee (NSC) was thus formed. In 2000, the NSC transitioned into the First Nations Information Governance Committee at the AFN. In 2009, the AFN Chiefs-in-Assembly passed a resolution (Resolution #48, December 2009) which mandated the creation of the First Nations Information Governance Centre, an independent non-profit to replace the First Nations Information Governance Committee. On April 22, 2010, the First Nations Information Governance Centre was incorporated as a non-profit entity.[3][4]

Work

FNIGC has ten First Nations regional partners that collectively conduct the First Nations Regional Health Survey (FNRHS), the First Nations Early Childhood, Education and Employment Survey (FNREEES), the First Nations Community Survey (FNCS), and the First Nations Labour and Employment Development Survey (FNLED).[5][6][7] These surveys examine physical and mental health, employment and income, housing, and other socio-economic factors influencing the health and well-being of First Nations people in Canada.[8][9][10] Grounded in principles of Indigenous data sovereignty, these large-scale digital data initiatives demonstrated how digital transformation can be implemented in ways that respect community governance, ensuring First nations retain authority over how their data is collected, managed, analyzed, and used.[11] As a result, FNIGC's data has been widely cited in academic publications and policy documents.[12][1][13]

Data Governance

FNIGC also provides a variety of education and training services related to the First Nations principles of OCAP (ownership, control, access and possession), a foundational set of guidelines essential to supporting First Nations data sovereignty by establishing how First Nations data and information are collected, protected, used, shared, and governed within evolving digital systems, supporting ethical, community-driven digital transformation and self-determination.[14][15][16][17]

In addition to OCAP Principles, FNIGC's work aligns with international frameworks such as CARE Principle for Indigenous Governance. Developed through the Research Data Alliance, the CARE Principles-Collective Benefit, Authority to Control, Responsibility, and Ethics-provide a people and purpose-oriented approach to data governance. They emphasize that data ecosystem should support Indigenous self-determination, ensure equitable outcomes, and respect Indigenous rights and interests in data.[18][19][20] Additionally, as highlighted in recent research, combining the CARE Principles with the FAIR data principles helps ensure that data systems are not only accessible and usable but also upholds Indigenous control, cultural values, and ethical responsibilities throughout the data lifecycle.[21]

References

  1. ^ a b Rabson, Mia (14 March 2018). "Residential school survivors, descendents, show pooper health outcomes: survey". APTN National News. Retrieved March 14, 2018.
  2. ^ "Pathways to First Nations' data and information sovereignty", Indigenous Data Sovereignty, ANU Press, 2016-11-14, doi:10.22459/caepr38.11.2016.08, ISBN 978-1-76046-030-3
  3. ^ "Our History". The First Nations Information Governance Centre.
  4. ^ Rowe, Robyn K.; Bull, Julie R.; Walker, Jennifer D. (2020). "Indigenous self-determination and data governance in the Canadian policy context". Indigenous Data Sovereignty and Policy. Routledge. doi:10.4324/9780429273957-6. ISBN 978-0-429-27395-7. S2CID 224906005.
  5. ^ The First Nations Information Governance Centre (1 January 2019). "First Nations data sovereignty in Canada". Statistical Journal of the IAOS. 35 (1): 47–69. doi:10.3233/SJI-180478. ISSN 1874-7655. S2CID 241953288.
  6. ^ "Harvard Project on American Indian Economic Development - Review of The First Nations Regional Longitudinal Health Survey (RHS) 2002/2003" (PDF). Retrieved April 1, 2006.
  7. ^ Lévesque, Lucie; Janssen, Ian; Xu, Fei (2015). "Correlates of physical activity in First Nations youth residing in First Nations and northern communities in Canada". Canadian Journal of Public Health. 106 (2): e29–e35. doi:10.17269/CJPH.106.4567. PMC 6972100. PMID 25955669.
  8. ^ Bombay, Amy; Matheson, Kimberly; Anisman, Hymie (June 2014). "The intergenerational effects of Indian Residential Schools: implications for the concept of historical trauma". Transcultural Psychiatry. 51 (3): 320–338. doi:10.1177/1363461513503380. ISSN 1461-7471. PMC 4232330. PMID 24065606.
  9. ^ McQuaid, Robyn Jane; Bombay, Amy; McInnis, Opal Arilla; Humeny, Courtney; Matheson, Kimberly; Anisman, Hymie (June 2017). "Suicide Ideation and Attempts among First Nations Peoples Living On-Reserve in Canada: The Intergenerational and Cumulative Effects of Indian Residential Schools". Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. Revue Canadienne de Psychiatrie. 62 (6): 422–430. doi:10.1177/0706743717702075. ISSN 1497-0015. PMC 5455875. PMID 28355491.
  10. ^ Centre, First Nations Information Governance; Walker, Jennifer D. (June 2020). "Aging and Frailty in First Nations Communities". Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement. 39 (2): 133–144. doi:10.1017/S0714980817000319. ISSN 0714-9808. PMID 29098978.
  11. ^ Indigenous data sovereignty: Towards an agenda (PDF). Australian National University Press. 2016.
  12. ^ "Historic report to outline health, well-being of 250 First Nation communities". APTN News. 11 March 2018. Retrieved March 11, 2018.
  13. ^ Porter, Jody (June 14, 2012). "First Nations housing shortage getting worse, report says". CBC News.
  14. ^ "Barriers and Levers for the Implementation of OCAP™" (PDF). The International Indigenous Policy Journal. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
  15. ^ Milne, Vanessa; Konkin, Jill; Lafontaine, Alika (11 August 2016). "The new era of First Nations health research". Healthy Debate.
  16. ^ "United Nations General Assembly. (2007, September 13). United Nations Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples" (PDF).
  17. ^ Manager, Journal (2004). "Full Issue: Governance of Aboriginal Health". International Journal of Indigenous Health. 1 (1). ISSN 2291-9376.
  18. ^ "Global Indigenous Data Alliance". Global Indigenous Data Alliance. Retrieved 2026-06-08.
  19. ^ "GIDA: CARE Directs Us Home: Prioritizing Indigenous Peoples' Community Standards". The First Nations Information Governance Centre. Retrieved 2026-06-08.
  20. ^ Carroll, Stephanie Russo; Garba, Ibrahim; Figueroa-Rodríguez, Oscar L.; Holbrook, Jarita; Lovett, Raymond; Materechera, Simeon; Parsons, Mark; Raseroka, Kay; Rodriguez-Lonebear, Desi; Rowe, Robyn; Sara, Rodrigo; Walker, Jennifer D.; Anderson, Jane; Hudson, Maui (2020-11-04). "The CARE Principles for Indigenous Data Governance". Data Science Journal. 19 (1) 43. doi:10.5334/dsj-2020-043. ISSN 1683-1470.
  21. ^ Carroll, Stephanie Russo; Herczog, Edit; Hudson, Maui; Russell, Keith; Stall, Shelley (2021-04-16). "Operationalizing the CARE and FAIR Principles for Indigenous data futures". Scientific Data. 8 (1): 108. doi:10.1038/s41597-021-00892-0. ISSN 2052-4463. PMC 8052430. PMID 33863927.

Official website

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.