This procedure is intended to be a companion to the policy Research Involving Indigenous Groups (RIIG) and provide guidance for Memorial Researchers who wish to engage in Indigenous Research. This guidance is for the Concept Development Phase of Research. For guidance on Ongoing Engagement in Indigenous Research, please see the Procedure for Ongoing Engagement for Research Involving Indigenous Groups.

Planning considerations for Research Involving Indigenous Groups (Indigenous Research)

There will be planning considerations when engaging in Indigenous Research. These can include:

• Timeframe considerations, such as time allocated to determining contacts, building relationships and partnership, working with Indigenous Group(s)’ schedules, planning for funding application deadlines, etc.
• Budget considerations, such as funds for engagement or planning activities, honoraria for Indigenous participants, gifts for Elders, translation services, etc.
• Governance considerations, such as a co-developed community engagement plan, agreement(s) to outline roles and expectations, project leadership bodies (e.g. advisors, committees, board of directors), dispute or conflict resolution process(es), etc.
• Outcome planning, such as co-developed expectations for the treatment of research results and intellectual property, expectations for authorship, plans for knowledge mobilization of research results, etc.

Determining contacts

Indigenous Groups have structured systems of engagement, and variations of who in the community has authority to speak and decide on behalf of the community. Researchers are expected to know which Indigenous Group(s) their Research will be involving and thus who in authority to contact and engage with during the Concept Development Phase.

The Associate Vice-President (Indigenous Research) should be consulted as needed, such as if assistance is needed determining the appropriate authority or if there is no existing or feasible ways for appropriate Indigenous Groups to provide documentation of engagement.

Obtaining Evidence of Community Engagement (ECE)

ECE is collective and may require agreement from appropriate community members, including research staff of an Indigenous Group, Elders, Knowledge Keepers, councils and other leaders and knowledge holders. Researchers shall become familiar with which group(s) and representatives within their partner Indigenous Group(s) have the authority to give ECE and must always pursue the highest existing authority set up by communities for Research matters.

Unless the applicable Indigenous Group had indicated a different protocol of engagement, the authority to decide on research matters will be as follows in descending order:

1. An Indigenous Research Review processes or REB designated by the Indigenous Group(s). If there is none or this is not applicable, only then should ECE be sought through;
2. Smaller groups/communities within the nation/governed area, can provide ECE but the final authority rests with the formal governing body. If there is no formal governing body or this is not applicable, only then should ECE be sought through;
3. An Elder within the nation/governed area who can give ECE if a-b are not applicable; and
4. A formal or informal body made up of or representing Indigenous Group(s) (example, a Native Friendship Centre) if the Research only involves employees from or/and users of that Centre.

The Committee on Engaging Research Involving Indigenous Groups (CERIIG)

The Committee on Engaging Research Involving Indigenous Groups (CERIIG) is responsible for providing approval for Research proposals only if the a-d above groups do not exist; an Indigenous Group is not identifiable or discernible at a given stage of the Research; or provide guidance in cases of Research involving non-contactable Indigenous Group(s).

Nations and Indigenous governing bodies normally do not have the ability to provide ECE for their members outside of a land claim or formal governance area. In the case of urban groups, who may be diverse and include individuals from many different Indigenous backgrounds, a single government or even collection of several governments/governing bodies may not represent them. In a case of Research that involves diverse Indigenous groups in an urban centre (where d-above cannot apply), researchers may seek CERIIG approval.

Note: CERIIG does not individually or collectively represent Indigenous Groups. CERIIG approval reflects its view that the Research proposal includes best practices and ethical standards in terms of Indigenous Research.

Documenting ECE

The following will be accepted as documentation of ECE:

a. If the proposed Research has been reviewed in accordance with the processes required by the applicable Indigenous Group(s), governing body(ies) or government(s). Review maybe through a formal Research Review or REB processes or through discussion with key members of a band, such as a chief and/or Elders in a decision-making body, among other processes. If an Indigenous Group provides their own approval documentation to proceed with Research then that satisfies the Evidence of Community Engagement requirement of the Research Involving Indigenous Groups policy.

For a) above, the following documentation from the relevant Research Review body or Indigenous Group authority will suffice:

1. A formal letter of support
2. A signature on a research agreement or form
3. A phone call, text, email, or a letter
4. Any other document indicating successful Research Review or approval by the Indigenous Group

b. If a Research proposal/application is co-developed or/and collaboratively drafted with an Indigenous Group, the leader of the Group, or an official representative of the Group, or an Elder with decision-making authority in the involved community as partners, co-applicant, or collaborator, then this satisfies the Evidence of Community Engagement requirement for this policy.

For b) above, the following documentation will suffice:

1. A formal letter of support from the relevant Indigenous Group(s) authority
2. .A signature from the relevant Indigenous Group(s) authority on a research agreement or form
3. If the Indigenous leader(s) or official representative(s), or an Elder with decision-making authority in the involved community(ies) is/are on the Research application/proposal in an official capacity (e.g. as co-applicant, partner, collaborator, etc.)
4. Any other document from the Indigenous Group authority indicating the collaborative nature of the Research

c. Where Research is initiated by an Indigenous Group themselves, including those which may involve persons employed by the University, ECE can be deemed obtained by providing documentation of that arrangement.

To document ECE, the name of the Indigenous Group’s authority/representative must be clearly identified, and it must be clear that the consent is provided by them (e.g. via signature, sent from their email address, on appropriate letterhead, phone number in a text message, etc.).

ECE may be provided via phone; the call must be received by Research Initiatives & Services (RIS) or the Office of the Vice-President (Research). The recipient of the call must document the appropriate engagement about the Research.

Per the RIIG policy, any Indigenous Group authority has the right to indicate they are comfortable with the Research proceeding (approval) but not interested in participating or engaging further. An example of this could be an Indigenous Group approving Research on Indigenous Land but not wishing to be part of the project. This should be documented and submitted as Evidence of Community Engagement (ECE).

Documentation of ECE for all Indigenous Research will be uploaded to Memorial’s research administration repository ROMEO (Researcher Portal).

Classroom or course-based work

For classroom or course-based Indigenous Research, students may proceed in obtaining ECE depending on the situation, as follows:

1. If the student’s work is part of their professor or supervisor’s Research that has ECE then no further documentation is required (per the RIIG policy section 4.2);
2. If the student’s work is independent from their professor or supervisor’s Research, but there will be no outcomes beyond the class or course requirements including no publishing of the work, then the student may use this template form [insert link] to obtain consent in lieu of ECE. This form attests to these conditions --- no outcomes beyond the class or course requirements including no publishing of the work --- and obtains consent from the participant(s);
3. If a or b above does not apply, then the student needs to seek ECE as a Memorial Researcher.

Research proposals and ECE

Per section 2 of the policy, for any Indigenous Research conducted by a Memorial Researcher, Research proposals will be submitted to a sponsor via Memorial University only after ECE documentation is obtained. Award funds (including installments) will be released if appropriate ECE documentation is on file.

Where obtaining ECE is not possible prior to submission to the sponsor, the Researcher must complete and submit this template form [insert link] with the proposal in Memorial’s Researcher Portal. The Associate Vice-President (Indigenous Research) or delegate shall review the request and give direction whether the submission can proceed.

Research that involves multiple Indigenous Groups

Where Research involves two or more Indigenous Groups, ECE must be obtained from all Groups. If this cannot be obtained, the project must be adapted accordingly. If coordinated ECE cannot be obtained from all the involved Indigenous Groups, Research can only be conducted with the Indigenous Group(s) that offered ECE.

ECE for existing data

In accordance with the RIIG policy, any non-anonymous information or human biological materials originally collected for a purpose other than the current Research purpose in which Indigenous Lands, Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Groups or can be identified is considered Research. This may include open and public data. If Memorial Researchers or staff are unsure as to whether Research falls into this context, they may contact the Associate Vice-President (Indigenous Research), who will use TCPS2 to determine whether ECE is required for the Research.

If any datasets (open or otherwise) created by an Indigenous Group include requests that those creators be contacted prior to use, ECE must be obtained.

Transitions between non-Indigenous Research and Indigenous Research

In cases where Research that does not begin as Indigenous Research becomes Indigenous Research during development (e.g through the acquisition of new partners, sites, or analytical frameworks) then Researchers must obtain ECE within six months, with extension possible if granted by AVPIR.

Research that began as Indigenous Research may develop in a direction where it no longer fits that definition and therefore it no longer falls under the RIIG Policy. Documentation of original ECE will stay on file with RIS. The Memorial Researcher should update RIS about any project transitions as soon as reasonably possible so the project file is accurate. If there is a formal agreement with any Indigenous Group(s) then RIS will assist with processing the appropriate amendment(s) as needed.

Collaborative projects

In cases of collaborative Research projects which involve Researchers at multiple institutions, if the lead Researcher is at Memorial University the entire project falls within the RIIG policy.

When a Memorial Researcher is among a larger inter-institutional team and is not the principal investigator or lead of a project, then they are responsible for ensuring their part of the project/work follows the RIIG policy, including any papers or datasets their names or work will appear in.