Indigenous Data Sovereignty Data Storage Analysis Project

Abstract

The objective of this report is to develop materials and recommendations in support of meeting the University of Waterloo Research Data Management Institutional Strategy & Implementation Plan. These materials and recommendations will be used to build out further activities and deliverables to meet the University’s commitments to respecting Indigenous data sovereignty, defined as:

"the authority of Indigenous peoples, Nations and communities over their own data, how their data is framed, and how their data is managed. The University of Waterloo respects and recognizes the sovereignty of Indigenous Peoples, Nations, and communities over research data produced by, with, for, and about them. This includes sovereignty over the collection, use, control, access, possession, and sharing of these data."

This may seem like a simple endeavor, however none of the major Canadian research data repositories were created with Indigenous rights, much less Indigenous participation, in mind. Indigenous rights and wellbeing have been an afterthought in the dominant research community. To remedy this situation, we recommend that the university establishes a set of protocols for Waterloo-based data storage options that are owned and operated by the University that align with relevant Indigenous data sovereignty principles:

1. Be FAIR and CARE 2. Evaluate policies, practices, relationships, and data infrastructure for alignment to the CARE Principles via the CARE Data Maturity Model 3. Maintain situational awareness of Indigenous relations and rights 4. Engage in consistent outreach activities with appropriate Indigenous Peoples 5. Improve repository protocols so they are compatible with Indigenous data sovereignty principles 6. Ensure technology development and maintenance is adequately prioritized and resourced 7. Prioritize using software designed to respect Indigenous data sovereignty