Natosapi Research Department / Siksika Nation
Research with the Siksika Nation
Research approval, ethical responsibilities and community permissions. Guidance for Siksika Nation members, non-Nation students, university researchers and other organizations planning research involving the Nation, its knowledge, programs or communities.
Natosapi (Old Sun) Community College facilitates this research approval process on behalf of Siksika Nation.
01 / Approvals and Protocols
Research Approval Process
Purpose, eligibility and the seven steps in the College's research approval procedure.
Purpose
Natosapi (Old Sun) Community College (OSCC) supports research involving the Siksika Nation and its members. The Research Department provides a process for reviewing research proposals and ensuring that research is conducted in accordance with applicable Siksika Nation requirements, OSCC protocols, research ethics standards, and community expectations.
The Research Department reviews proposals and establishes expectations for research involving Siksika Nation members, departments, programs, services, community information, cultural knowledge, traditional knowledge, sacred knowledge, intellectual property, or community-held research data.
Researchers must conduct their work ethically, respectfully and in a culturally appropriate manner, following applicable Siksika Nation requirements, OSCC research protocols, institutional research ethics requirements and any additional approvals that apply to their project.
Research involving the Siksika Nation must also respect applicable Siksika Nation intellectual property rights, ownership and control of community-held information, and the protection of cultural, traditional, sacred, and other forms of community knowledge. Research approval does not transfer ownership or intellectual property rights to the researcher, their institution, or any third party.
Required Natosapi (Old Sun) Community College research approval must be obtained before research activities begin. Additional departmental, organizational, or community approvals may also be required.
Who Must Apply?
Researchers should contact the Research Department whenever a proposed project involves any of the following:
- Siksika Nation members or community participants.
- Siksika Nation departments, programs, services, organizations, or operations.
- Siksika Nation staff, clients, records, or administrative information.
- Siksika cultural knowledge, Blackfoot knowledge systems, language, teachings, practices, stories, ceremonies, or sacred/traditional knowledge.
- Siksika Nation community information, community-held data, or collectively held knowledge.
- Research conducted within the Siksika Nation community or involving Siksika Nation resources.
Student, University and Community Research
This process applies to student research, including undergraduate and graduate studies as well as other academic or community-based research.
Researchers who are unsure whether their project requires approval should contact the OSCC Research Department before beginning recruitment, interviews, data collection, observations, or other applicable research activities.
Steps to Obtain Research Approval
The procedure sets out seven stages. The Research Department may request additional information, clarify the order of documentation, and establish conditions in its approval letter.
Submit a Research Proposal
Researchers must submit their research proposal and supporting documents to the Research Department for review.
Your proposal should describe:
- Research purpose, objectives, and questions.
- Proposed methodology and activities.
- Intended participants or community groups.
- Involvement of Siksika Nation departments, programs, services, or organizations.
- Recruitment, consent, and data collection methods.
- Data storage, security, access, retention, and disposal plans.
- Intended publication and sharing of findings.
- Any involvement of Siksika cultural knowledge, traditional knowledge, sacred knowledge, or community-held information.
Additional information may be requested as part of the review.
Research Review and Assessment
The Research Department will assess the proposal and identify any additional information, permissions, or approvals required.
The review may consider the project's potential community benefits, participant privacy, cultural protocols, data management, publication plans, applicable OCAP principles, institutional ethics requirements, and additional Siksika Nation approvals.
Researchers may be asked to revise their proposals or provide clarification before a decision is made.
Obtain Research Ethics Approval
Researchers must comply with applicable university or institutional research ethics requirements.
Approval or certification must be obtained from the relevant Behavioural Research Ethics Board (BREB), Research Ethics Board (REB), or other applicable ethics authority.
Researchers must provide OSCC with a copy of their ethics approval or certification once available, along with participant consent forms and other documents as requested.
OSCC approval does not replace university ethics approval. Researchers should confirm the required approval process with the OSCC Research Department and obtain all necessary approvals before commencing research activities.
https://tcps2core.ca/welcome
Obtain Additional Siksika Nation Approvals
Separate departmental, organizational, or community approval may be required when research involves other Siksika Nation departments, programs, services, staff, clients, records, or operations.
For example, research involving Siksika Nation Health Services requires the appropriate departmental approval before research activities involving the Department begin.
Researchers are responsible for obtaining all applicable permissions. OSCC approval does not automatically authorize access to departmental resources, facilities, records, or services.
Complete OCAP Training Where Required
OCAP stands for Ownership, Control, Access, and Possession.
Researchers must follow applicable Siksika Nation requirements concerning community data, information, knowledge, and data governance.
OCAP training is a required part of the OSCC research approval process and must be completed before commencing applicable research activities. Proof of completion must be provided where required.
Eligible students funded through the OSCC Post-Secondary Student Support Program (PSSSP) may be reimbursed for the cost of OCAP certification.
https://fnigc.ca/ocap-training/
Receive the Research Approval Letter
Once all required documents have been submitted to the OSCC Research Department and the research proposal has been reviewed, OSCC will issue a decision letter outlining the approval decision and any applicable conditions.
Researchers must comply with all approval conditions before commencing applicable research activities.
Complete the Research Agreement and Acknowledgement Form
Researchers must complete and submit the Siksika Nation (Member) Research Agreement and Acknowledgement Form as part of the required documentation submitted to the OSCC Research Department.
The Agreement outlines the researcher's responsibilities regarding research ethics, participant consent, cultural protocols, intellectual property, community information, data management, publication, sharing, and reporting.
The researcher, supervisor, OSCC representative, and any applicable Siksika Nation departmental or community authority must complete their designated sections.
The Agreement does not replace any additional approvals required for the project.
02 / Documents and Downloads
Research Forms and Documents
Prepare the agreement, research proposal, approvals and supporting materials appropriate to the proposed study.
Official College Agreement Form
Siksika Nation (Member) Research Agreement and Acknowledgement Form
This is the Research Agreement and Acknowledgement Form provided by the Research Department. Complete the applicable sections, obtain required signatures, and submit it as directed.
Supporting-Document Checklist
Researchers should prepare the following documents as applicable:
https://tcps2core.ca/welcome
https://fnigc.ca/ocap-training/
03 / Ethics and Stewardship
Researcher Responsibilities
Approval creates continuing obligations respecting research scope, participant consent, cultural knowledge, OCAP, data security, publication and reporting.
Responsibilities After Approval
Researchers must:
- Conduct research within the approved purpose, scope, and methodology.
- Follow the OSCC approval letter and sign the Research Agreement.
- Obtain informed participant consent and protect privacy and confidentiality.
- Obtain additional permissions where required.
- Respect Siksika cultural protocols, sacred knowledge, traditional knowledge, and community-held information.
- Securely collect, store, access, retain, and dispose of research data.
- Use information only for the approved purpose and in accordance with applicable consent, permissions, and agreements.
- Obtain appropriate authorization before sharing protected or restricted information.
- Provide required research reports or findings to OSCC and/or Siksika Nation.
- Notify OSCC and other applicable authorities of proposed changes to the approved research.
Changes to Approved Research
Significant changes to the research purpose, methodology, participants, data collection, intended use of data, or publication and sharing plans must be communicated to OSCC and other applicable authorities before proceeding with research plans.
For any changes, OSCC review, departmental authorization, community permission, or ethics approval may be required.
Siksika Cultural Knowledge and Community Information
Siksika sacred knowledge, Blackfoot knowledge systems, language, culture, teachings, practices, stories, ceremonies, traditional knowledge, and community knowledge may be collectively held or protected by the Siksika Nation.
Participation in research does not by itself transfer ownership of Siksika knowledge, cultural information, community information, or research data to the researcher, university, institution, funder, or another third party.
Researchers must seek appropriate permission before recording, reproducing, interpreting, publishing, sharing, or otherwise using protected knowledge where required.
They must consult the appropriate Siksika Nation authority and/or relevant knowledge holders regarding the respectful use and sharing of sacred, ceremonial, traditional, restricted, or community-held knowledge.
Public availability should not automatically be treated as permission to reproduce or use protected cultural knowledge.
Data Ownership, Management, and OCAP
Researchers must identify how research data will be collected, stored, accessed, retained, used, shared, and ultimately destroyed or returned.
Where applicable, researchers must comply with Siksika Nation requirements concerning ownership, control, access, possession, and management of community-held information.
Without appropriate authorization, researchers must not sell, license, commercially exploit, transfer, or disclose protected Siksika Nation data or community information to another individual, institution, organization, company, or government agency.
Research proposals should identify the storage location, authorized users, security measures, retention period, destruction or return method, and plans for publication, sharing, archiving, or future use.
Secondary use of research data must comply with the original approval, participant consent, applicable agreements, and any additional permissions required.
Publication and Dissemination
Researchers may complete, submit, publish, present, or otherwise disseminate their academic work in accordance with institutional requirements, participant consent, approved ethics protocols, the Research Agreement, and applicable Siksika Nation/OSCC requirements.
Confidential, restricted, sacred, ceremonial, traditional, and community-controlled information must be protected.
Additional permission may be required to use research findings for a new purpose or to release protected information beyond the approved project.
Research Reporting and Final Requirements
Researchers must fulfill reporting and follow-up requirements specified in their approval letter from the OSCC Research Department, Research Agreement, or other applicable authorization.
These may include providing a summary of findings, final report, thesis or dissertation, copies of publications, or other agreed upon required research documents.
Researchers must also follow approved requirements for data retention, destruction, or return at the end of the project.
Non-Compliance
Failure to comply with the approval letter, Research Agreement, applicable ethics requirements, or relevant Siksika Nation requirements may result in suspension or withdrawal of OSCC research approval and/or other appropriate action.
Research activities may need to pause while outstanding concerns or approval requirements are addressed.
These references provide additional context; they do not replace Siksika Nation requirements or the College's approval conditions.
04 / Research Department
Contact the Research Department
Contact the Department early for help with eligibility, the agreement, documentation and additional permissions or ethics review.
Carrissa Auger — Ihtistskop
Academic Dean / Principal
Natosapi (Old Sun) Community College
Email:
carrissa.auger@oldsuncollege.ca
Telephone:
403-734-3862
ext. 245
Office:
Annex, Room 342
Submitting a Research Proposal
- Review the seven-step approval process and determine whether additional department or community permissions apply.
- Prepare the research proposal and applicable supporting documents, including research ethics documentation, consent materials and data-management plans.
- Email the Research Department at carrissa.auger@oldsuncollege.ca for submission and review instructions.
- Respond to any requests for clarification, and observe the conditions set out in the approval letter and signed Research Agreement before beginning applicable research activities.