We are thankful to our Board, Members, Partners and stakeholders who believed in us over the past nine months, and to our employees who have responded to the unpredictable demands of a global pandemic while working remotely.

Most of all, we are grateful for being able to continue to do the important work we do to further First Nation data sovereignty. Thanks to all of you who have helped us on this journey in 2020.

Please note that FNIGC will be closed for the holidays from December 23, 2020 through January 6, 2021.

We hope you and your loved ones have a safe and joyful holiday season.

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This year, FNIGC will grant up to four $2,500 bursaries to outstanding First Nations students enrolled in a post-secondary institution (university or college) in health, social sciences, or applied sciences, or studying issues related to helping First Nations achieve data sovereignty. A focus on quantitative or mixed methods research in one or more of the following fields would be an asset.

• Epidemiology
• Population health
• Biostatistics
• Statistics
• Information management / Information technology (IT/IM)
• Economics
• Indigenous studies
• Interdisciplinary studies
• Environmental studies/science
• Computer science

The deadline for applications was Friday, January 8, 2021, at 4:00 p.m. EST.

Established in 2011, FNIGC’s National Student Bursary is awarded annually to qualifying First Nations students and also includes free registration (a $250 value) to The Fundamentals of OCAP®, FNIGC’s online training program that helps students, researchers, government, and others better understand the First Nations principles of ownership, control, access, and possession as they relate to data sovereignty, information governance, and ethical community-based research.

“The First Nations Information Governance Centre’s National Student Bursary was established a decade ago and continues to make our student’s lives a little easier while they are away at school,” said Leona Star, Chairperson of the FNIGC Board of Directors. “First Nations students face a disproportionate number of challenges when it comes to completing their education. With this bursary, we hope to reduce some of the stress and allow them to focus on their studies.”

The FNIGC’s bursary program has awarded more than $33,000 to 19 First Nations post‑secondary students across Canada over its 10-year history.

To learn more about FNIGC’s National Student Bursary program and to apply, click here.  

For more information on the bursary application process, contact Erin Corston, Senior Advisor, Partnerships & Capacity, at 613-733-1916 ext. 128 or at ecorston@fnigc.ca.

To learn more about past recipients of the National Student Bursary, visit the National Student Bursary portion of our website.

A First Nations non-profit organization operating with a special mandate from the Assembly of First Nations, FNIGC envisions that every First Nation will achieve data sovereignty in alignment with its distinct world view.

FNIGC serves the information, research, training, and capacity needs of First Nations communities through its unique data-gathering initiatives, including the First Nations Regional Health Survey, the First Nations Regional Early Childhood, Education, and Employment Survey, and the First Nations Labour and Employment Development Survey. FNIGC is committed to improving the health and well-being of First Nations people living and raising their families on-reserve and in northern communities located across the country through the assertion of data sovereignty.

For more information on FNIGC, visit FNIGC.ca or contact Brad Mackay, Manager, Communications, at 613‑733‑1916 ext. 109 or bmackay@fnigc.ca.

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This year’s recipients are: Nicole Shingoose, Shawna Louise McKenzie, Fiona Lizotte, and Étienne Lacasse-Vollant.

Established in 2011, the FNIGC National Student Bursary is awarded each year to exceptional First Nations students enrolled in college or university, studying in fields related to the advancement of First Nations data sovereignty.

Selected by a committee approved by FNIGC’s Board of Directors, each recipient receives $2,500 and free registration to FNIGC’s Fundamentals of OCAP® online course.

“Education and capacity building are critical to nation rebuilding and to achieving data sovereignty” says Bonnie Healy, Chair of FNIGC’s Board of Directors. “We need First Nations epidemiologists, statisticians, and data analysts who are able to apply our own world view to our own data. It’s our hope that the FNIGC bursary helps these students get one step closer to achieving their goals.”

Meet this year’s recipients:

Nicole Shingoose is Saulteaux from Cote First Nation and Plains Cree from Moosomin First Nation. She is currently enrolled in the Medical Radiologic Technology program at Saskatchewan Polytechnic after having completing a degree in Mathematics with a minor in Life Science at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario. After graduation Nicole plans to work as an X-ray technologist and eventually further her education by applying to a secondary discipline such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Follow Nicole’s journey on Twitter: @NicoleShingoose.

A single mother, Shawna Louise McKenzie is Anishnaabe Kwe from Chippewas of Rama First Nation and Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation. She is completing her Honours BASc in Media, Film, and Communication studies at Lakehead University in Orillia, Ontario. Her current areas of focus and interest include surveillance and Big Data. She says that education has been a blessing and has opened her eyes beyond the immediate and mainstream media, to see past the history of social norms. Follow Shawna’s journey on Twitter: @ShawnaRama1.

A third-year student at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus, Fiona Lizotte is Syilx from Okanagan Nation. She is completing her Bachelor of Science and currently working as a math and physics tutor for Aboriginal students while volunteering her time as an assistant volleyball coach. After graduation Fiona plans on attending dental school to pursue a career specializing in serving First Nations’ oral health needs. Follow Fiona’s journey on Twitter: @fionalizotte.

Étienne Lacasse-Vollant is Innu from Uashat mak Mani-utenam First Nation. He is currently completing his second bachelor’s degree in social work at Université du Québec à Chicoutimi and a Master’s degree at Université Laval. His thesis is focused on Indigenous spiritual practices and how they contribute to the spiritual healing of participants in the community of Uashat mak Maliotenam. His interest in this topic stems from several community members who speak of the re-appropriation of Indigenous spirituality as a component of their identity, and as a means of healing and reconciliation from the wounds of colonization. Follow Étienne’s journey on LinkedIn.

Since it was established nearly a decade ago, FNIGC’s National Student Bursary program has awarded more than $33,000 to 19 First Nations post-secondary students across Canada. This year FNIGC was able to offer four bursaries.

Thank you to Tracey P. Lauriault, Assistant Professor of Critical Media and Big Data in the School of Journalism and Communication at Carleton University, and Stats NZ Tatauranga Aotearoa for their generous donations.

To learn more about FNIGC’s National Student Bursary program go here.

For more information on the bursary application process, contact Erin Corston, Senior Advisor, Partnerships & Capacity, at ecorston@fnigc.ca.

For more information about FNIGC, visit FNIGC.ca or contact Brad Mackay, Manager, Communications, at bmackay@fnigc.ca

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Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, has stated that First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities face a higher risk of “severe outcomes” from the novel coronavirus and COVID-19. These include health inequities, higher rates of underlying medical conditions, and challenges of living in remote and fly-in communities.

The First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC) has published a special paper that is intended to support coronavirus emergency preparedness efforts in First Nations reserve and Northern communities.

The paper, RHS Statistics for Shaping a Response to COVID-19 in First Nations Communities, includes analysis based on results from the First Nations Regional Health Survey Phase 3 (RHS) Phase 3, a large-scale national survey of First Nations communities conducted in 2015–2016 by FNIGC and its Regional partners.

Available now on FNIGC.ca, the 22-page paper contains reliable national-level data that can be used by First Nations to better prepare for potential outbreaks of COVID-19.

The data in the paper was drawn from the RHS Phase 3 Volumes One and Two, which were published by FNIGC in 2018. These reports can be downloaded for free at FNIGC’s Online Library.

The analysis in the paper is organized according to six socio-economic themes:

• Chronic Health Conditions,
• Barriers to Accessing Health Care,
• Senior Populations,
• Smoking & Obesity,
• Housing, and
• Poverty.

Some of the key findings include:

• Nearly 3-in-5 of First Nations adults, 1-in-3 First Nations youth, and more than 1-in-4 First Nations children reported having one (or more) chronic health condition, such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. Pre-existing chronic health conditions are a risk factor when it comes to COVID-19.
• 1-in-10 First Nations adults reported requiring health care in the previous 12 months but not receiving all the care they needed. 21 percent of First Nations adults reported not having a primary health-care provider, compared to 16 percent among the general population. Poor access to health care, health-care professionals, and resources poses a significant threat when it comes to the spread of coronavirus.
• 1-in-4 First Nations adults are living in overcrowded households (more than one person per room). That number is significantly higher in rural First Nations communities (28 percent) or remote/special access communities 1-in-3 (32 percent). Overcrowding increases the risk of the spread of contagious diseases, like COVID-19.

For more information on FNIGC’s RHS COVID-19 paper, please download it on our Online Library.

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To our First Nations partners, colleagues, and friends across the country: We at FNIGC send our very best to all of you during this challenging time. Your health and well-being are of the utmost importance to us and we hope you are taking all the recommended precautions to avoid the spread of COVID-19.

Rest assured that we remain available to support you in your important work. On our end, FNIGC has directed its staff to work remotely and has postponed all travel for the time being – but the work of advancing First Nations data sovereignty continues.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us at info@fnigc.ca to let us know how we can support you – and our apologies for any delay in responding.

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Available now on FNIGC.ca, A First Nations Data Governance Strategy (FNDGS) envisions a First Nations‑led, national network of regional information governance centres across the country equipped with the knowledge, skills, and infrastructure needed to serve the information needs of First Nations people and communities.

First Nations governments require timely access to quality data in order to plan for the future, to deliver the services their citizens need and expect, and to make informed decisions in a rapidly-growing global digital environment.

“This strategy builds on more than two decades of internationally recognized work and is a response to the longstanding calls for First Nations’ authority and control over our own information,” says FNIGC’s Chair Bonnie Healy. “In response to a 2016 Chiefs-in-Assembly resolution that called for funding for regional data governance champions and the development of a national data governance strategy, and funded through Budget 2018, this strategy proposes a way forward, led by our Nations.”

The strategy is rooted in community-driven and Nation‑based collaborative approaches and charts the path necessary to further advance First Nations’ self-determination. It will also enable the progressive transfer of community service delivery back to First Nations’ governments with the ultimate goal of addressing socio-economic and health outcome inequalities.

“This matters to Canada because—like all governments—First Nations governments cannot be successful if their rights to self-determination and self-governance are not empowered by the governance of their own data,” says Gwen Phillips, FNIGC Board Member and data governance champion for BC.

To read the report, download it here: A First Nations Data Governance Strategy.

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To prepare for a major transformation in the governance of First Nations’ data as detailed in the recently published A First Nations Data Governance Strategy (the Strategy), FNIGC requires an IM/IT architecture expert to notionally identify and define key IM/IT architecture components, options, and preliminary cost ranges to support the phased implementation of the Strategy with affordable and scalable solutions.

For more, please read our detailed RFP: To Define and Cost Preliminary IM/IT Architecture Requirements for a Proposed Network of First Nations Data. 

The deadline is October 9, 2020.

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