Gratefully acknowledging that we live, work and learn on the unceded traditional territory of the Lheidli T'enneh.

The town halls are being conducted by the New Digital Research Infrastructure Organization (NDRIO)  ̶  a national not-for-profit organization funded by the federal department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. As background, NDIRO was created in 2020 to harmonize and improve access to digital tools and services for Canadian researchers. They will coordinate and fund activities in advanced research computing (ARC), research data management (RDM) and research software (RS) components of the data research infrastructure (DRI) strategy.

Developments under consideration by NDRIO could have a negative or positive impact on First Nations data sovereignty. First Nations participation in the town halls will help alert NDRIO to the implications of new digital tools and services to the First Nations Principles of OCAP®. The participants will have an opportunity to share their insights and concerns with NDRIO as they consider what activities to prioritize and how to structure its operations.  

The town halls will be held between May 4-7, 2021 and will be in English and French in separate meetings. Further information and registration links are available at this website: https://engagedri.ca/canadian-digital-research-infrastructure-needs-assessment/virtual-town-halls. Registration is only open until April 30, 2021.

For your information, FNIGC is participating in its technical capacity on the NDRIO Data Management Working Group, which is analyzing the state of digital research infrastructure, gathering ideas and suggestions for possible improvements, and helping to inform the development of NDRIO’s strategic plans. The FNIGC submitted a paper to NDRIO about issues that may concern First Nations respecting the need for collaboration and co-development with First Nations on the digital research infrastructure. That document is available at https://engagedri.ca/assets/documents/whitepapers/The-Need-for-First-Nations-Collaboration-and-Co-development-in-Digital-Research-Infrastructure-DRI.pdf

Topics to be discussed at the town halls include:

May 4 - Awareness and Accessibility:

• Awareness of existing digital research infrastructure and services available to all researchers in Canada
• How to improve access to funding (e.g., more equitable funding allocation)
• Bilingualism/​Internationalization
• Accessibility to digital research infrastructure to all researchers, regardless of disability type or severity of impairment

May 5 - Governance and Policy:

• Collaboration and trusted relationships with Indigenous Peoples, including Indigenous data sovereignty
• Jurisdictional, legislative, and regulatory barriers to sharing Personally Identifiable Information and health data
• Collaboration with industry and private sector
• Open science mandates
• Data privacy

May 6 - Operations:

• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion across researchers, research disciplines, institution, and geography
• Collaboration with the Tri-Agency and Service Providers (national and regional)
• Community engagement
• International engagement
• Centralization vs. distribution of infrastructure, including Commercial Cloud and High-Performance Computing Operations
• Identity management and cybersecurity
• Key performance indicators

May 7 - Support:

• Education, training and retention of Highly Qualified Personnel
• Stratified support: from national services to institutional support

 

Please contact NDRIO-​NOIRN@​EngageDRI.​ca if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Dewar, PhD

Chief Executive Officer | Chef de la direction

First Nations Information Governance Centre | Centre de gouvernance de l’information des Premières Nations

T: 613-733-1916, x 1010 or toll-free at 866-997-6248

Head office: 341 Island Road, Unit D, Akwesasne, ON  K6H 5R7

Ottawa office: 180 Elgin Street, Suite 1200, Ottawa, ON  K2P 2K6

fnigc.ca