Welcome to the FNIGC
The Budget Cuts and First Nations Statistics
OTTAWA – April 11, 2012: The Federal Government’s recent Budget announcement hit First Nations organizations hard. The First Nations Statistical Institute (FNSI) had its Federal funding slashed this year and will go out of business next year. The National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO) lost all of its funding this year and will shut down its operations in June of this year. The Aboriginal Healing Foundation’s mandate ended on the last day of March. These announcements shocked many people. Where, they wondered, could they find reliable data on the health and living condition of First Nations?
They needn’t worry. We were here long before both FNSI and NAHO. We still provide the best, most reliable and comprehensive data about First Nations anywhere in Canada. “We” are the First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC).
According to Grand Chief Charles Weaselhead, Alberta representative on the Board of Directors, “The First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC.ca) is there to fulfill that data need but many people don’t know it exists”.
The FNIGC incorporated in 2010. It’s the mandated body to conduct research on-reserve and in northern First Nations communities. The First Nations Regional Health Survey (RHS) has been around for more than 16 years, is now permanently housed at the FNIGC with offices in Akwesasne First Nation and Ottawa.
Gail McDonald is the Operations Manager at FNIGC in Ottawa. She says the “RHS is the best source of information on the First Nations population in Canada and is often overlooked due to its title. People think RHS is just about health but RHS is a comprehensive, holistic survey. Once you learn what is included in RHS you are pleasantly surprised by the wealth of knowledge and data in the survey and the published reports available”.
RHS has been providing First Nation leadership at the local, regional and national levels and the federal government with key information on housing and mold, language use, employment and health conditions, migration, education and many other key areas. The RHS is the only national research initiative that is controlled and owned by First Nations and that conducts OCAP™ (ownership, control, access and possession) compliant research. The FNIGC is the home of OCAP™, which represents self-determination in the area of research and information management.
The First Nations Regional Health Survey - Phase 2 (2008/10) National Report has 37 chapters. It will be released in the very near future. The survey will provide national results on determinants of health and well-being for the adult, child and youth populations. Each of the 10 participating regions will also be releasing their regional results in the coming months. It’s anticipated that these results will be invaluable to improve programs at the national level. RHS data is collected to help improve the lives of First Nations living on-reserve and in northern First Nations communities.
The FNIGC will soon be releasing a national report on the First Nations Oral Health Survey (FNOHS) and making its data sources available through the FNIGC Research Data Centre (RDC) which will be open to the public.
Most recently the FNIGC announced that it will partner with the Federal Government to conduct the First Nations Regional Education, Employment and Early Childhood Education Survey (FNREES) on-reserve and in northern First Nations communities. This survey, commonly referred to as the “RES”, will begin data collection in the fall of 2012.
“The results of the ‘RES’ will be critical in addressing these priority areas impacting First Nations communities “states Ms. Tracy Antone, Chairperson of the RES National Advisory Committee and Ontario Representative on the Board the FNIGC.
The FNIGC is the place to go for First Nations data, information, training and resources. The data collected in these surveys and other future planned initiatives will be invaluable to leadership, researchers and policy makers today and in the future.
Ms. Gail Mc Donald,
FNIGC Operations Manager,
613-733-1916 ext 101
gmcdonald@fnigc.ca
Media Announcement:
The First Nation Information Governance Centre Partners with Canada to Conduct Regional Education/Employment Survey!
December 15, 2011, Ottawa, Ontario — The First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC) has partnered with Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC) on the fourth generation of the Survey on Aboriginal Peoples (2011). The FNIGC will be conducting the First Nations Regional Education and Employment Survey (REES) of First Nations living on-reserve and in northern First Nation communities.
Under a mandate received from the First Nations leadership through the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Resolution No. 19 passed in July, 2011, the FNIGC will conduct the REES survey that will focus on three priority areas identified by First Nations communities, organizations and governments: education and employment and early childhood development. The data will allow for better tracking and understanding of the specific needs associated with these priority areas.
According to AFN Chiefs Committee on Health Chair and Manitoba First Nations Regional Chief Bill Traverse, “Since the mid 1990s, the Regional Health Survey (RHS) has been effectively carried out by the regional members and national coordination which is now FNIGC. In 2006, Harvard University recognized RHS as scientifically valid and cultural rooted Indigenous model for survey delivery. We are well qualified and ready to deliver the REES survey”.
“There is a significant data gap in First Nations communities for many key socio-economic indicators, particularly in the areas of education and employment and early childhood development...there is an urgent need to obtain relevant and quality data to help make informed decisions which will lead to improvements in the lives of First Nations peoples,” says Ceal Tournier, Chairperson, FNIGC Board of Directors.
The data will help a wide range of policy and programming decision-makers focus on the real needs of First Nations communities, ensuring the First Nations and Crown Governments’ ability to analyze trends over time and make informed decisions based on current data.
The mandate of the First Nations Regional Education and Employment Survey (REES) is to ensure that accountability, respect, ethics, values and the First Nations Principles of Ownership, Control, Access and Possession (OCAP) to First Nations data, research and information processes are protected and advanced. Preliminary results of the REES survey are expected to be released in 2014 and will be made available incrementally in the following years (2015-2016).
"The FNIGC has already achieved tremendous success in providing quality and credible information and has earned the respect of First Nations communities, governments and academics. We look forward to working with Canada on this important initiative over the next five years." says Gail Mc Donald, FNIGC Operations Manager.
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For more information and media inquiries contact Gail McDonald, FNIGC Operations Manager at 613-733-1916 (Toll Free: 866-997-6248, Ext. 101) www.fnigc.ca
FNIGC's 1st Annual General Assembly
The First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC)
Member Delegates, Board of Directors and Staff attending the 1st Annual General Assembly of the FNIGC
Held at the Brokenhead First Nation, Manitoba. October, 2011
Video Media
Tune in to the link below to view the exciting video on FNIGC RHS Youth results as performed by Wab Kinew!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zevMMAtnPXE
Reports
Youtube
© 2010 FNIGC | The First Nations Information Governance Centre / Le Centre de Gouvernance de L’information des Premières Nations. Website by Vurtur Communications Group
FNIGC Current News
FNIGC News
Hi there, my name is Hunter! You’ve probably seen me at the top of the FNIGC Web Site. I’m the new mascot for the FNIGC, my job is to point you to most recent news, activities and highlight parts of our website for you to look at.
I represent the many “Data Warriors” who are out there ensuring that the First Nation’s principles of ownership, control, access and possession (OCAP) are respected.
"We need our Data Warriors out there; they are the people who uphold the First Nation’s principles of OCAP! They believe and promote self-determination in the area of research and information management”.
I’m looking forward to sharing our news!
Quick Facts
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First Nations Population...
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One fifth of the First Nations population is 19 years old or younger. This is double the proportion of young people in the Canadian population.
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There are a much smaller proportion of seniors (aged 60 years and above) in First Nation communities, amounting to only 3.3% of the total population. In the Canadian population, 8.8% are seniors.
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Marital Status and Family Structure...
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Almost a third of First Nation adults are married, and 19% in common law relationships. Combined married and common-law status accounts for fifty percent of First Nation adults. Forty percent of the Canadian population is legally married. (Census 2001)
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First Nation men were more likely to be single (40.7%) compared to First Nation women (33.5%). Compared to men, women were more likely to have been previously married (11.6%). The higher rate of single men coincides with the rest of Canada, though there is a lower percentage of single adults in First Nation communities (rest of Canada men 50% women 43%).
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Almost all First Nations children live with one or both of their parents, accounting for 95.6% of the data. Of those, forty percent of First Nations children grow up in a single parent household compared with around 20% for Canadian children (Census 2001).
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Education, Employment and Income...
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Over fifty percent of First Nation adults did not graduate from high school, compared to 33.2% in the Canadian population.
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Only 27.4% of First Nations adults completed a diploma or a Bachelors degree, compared with 40.1% of the Canadian population.
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6.7% of First Nation females completed a university degree, compared to 3.7% of First Nations males.
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Isolated communities had a higher proportion of First Nation adults who did not completed high school (65.6%), compared to non-isolated communities (47.8%)
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Language and Tradition...
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About half of First Nation adults understood at least one First Nation language ‘relatively well’ or ‘fluently’.
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Compared to older age groups, younger generations of First Nations understand a First Nation language, ‘relatively well’ or ‘fluently’.
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6.7% of First Nation females completed a university degree, compared to 3.7% of First Nations males.
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One in four of First Nations children can understand a First Nations language ‘relatively well or fluently, compared to 70.5% of First Nations seniors.
