Jennifer Couture

The Tri-Council Policy Statement (TCPS) first identified the unique nature of research involving Indigenous communities in 1998. Twenty years later, despite ever-increasing amounts of information (including TCPS2 Chapter 9 Research Involving First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples of Canada, CIHR Guidelines for Health Research Involving Indigenous Peoples, and substantial developments in Indigenous community ethics), there are few shared, concrete supports available to REBs such as common tools, training, or other resources. Many REBs continue to struggle with interpreting and implementing the principles outlined in Chapter 9. Some REBs now have local supports within their institutions or research community. For example, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) REB has benefited from the knowledge of the CAMH Aboriginal Engagement and Outreach unit, and Queen’s University has recently appointed a Director of Indigenous Initiatives. These are two of numerous examples across Canada. Some REBs have established successful approaches based on their own experiences and relationships. In her 2018 research with REBs and research ethics policy experts across the country, Julie Bull has identified and compiled extensive information relating to existing challenges and complexities as well as a series of wise and emerging practices that are already underway. A key topic that was expressed by REBs themselves is the necessity of a national network or hub where REB members and administrators can connect with each other to share developments, advancements, missteps, and effective practices. This will considerably alleviate the current policy-to-practice gap that REBs have identified regarding research with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. This session will identify and leverage existing resource, capacity and interest within the REB community. Participants will co-create a strategy to enhance concrete supports for REBs, and correspondingly the research community, for research involving Indigenous communities. This is the next step of a grass-roots initiative to turn individual knowledge into shared action. Keywords: Indigenous communities, action, support