The Tyee reporter Katie Hyslop recently spoke to Simon Fraser University Canada Research Chair Amy Parent, who is Nisga’a, about the issues with the federal government’s report and process behind a new capstone research funding organization. Amy Parent (Simon Fraser University) comments that a report released in March 2023 recommended the creation of a new organization and distribution for science, health, social sciences, and humanities research funding. However, Parent notes that the Indigenous Leadership Circle in Research—which is an advisory body to NSERC, CIHR, and SSHRC—was not briefed on this report until June this year and was given insufficient time to respond. Parent outlines her concern that the proposed capstone program’s focus will directly contradict Indigenous research goals and negatively affect funding for Indigenous research training and development. Parent calls for the government to scrap the advisory panel’s report and start again with the inclusion of the Indigenous Leadership Circle in Research.
