National Action Plan on Open Government Commitment

• Engagement activities with Indigenous governments and organizations on the development of ISC’s Policy on External Data Sharing are underway. Virtual engagement sessions were held until December 2024, and written submissions continue to be accepted extending through January 2025. The input received through these activities will be documented and published in a What We Heard Report following the engagement process, which will inform the development of the draft Policy on External Data Sharing.
• The implementation of the Memorandum of Collaboration (MOC) between ISC and FNIGC, signed in January 2024, is underway. The FNIGC-ISC Governance and Collaboration Committee that oversees implementation of the MOC met in December 2024 to advance collaboration on the priority projects outlined in the MOC, which were designed to support the implementation of the First Nations Data Governance Strategy (FNDGS) and the Transformational Approach to Indigenous Data (TAID). This includes engagement with the FNIGC on the development of ISC's Policy on External Data Sharing as well as collaboration to identify First Nations data capacity needs related to data sharing.
• Work continues to meet requirements in the Management Action Plan of ISC’s Audit of Data Governance. This includes ongoing work to package and disseminate departmental toolkits for data stewardship and data sharing that centralize internal access to authoritative data holdings, business intelligence tools, and policies and guidance related to data, per recommendation #6 of the Management Action Plan. The Audit of Data Governance can be viewed at the following link: https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1701981980328/1701982033184.
• Work continues through the interdepartmental Working Group on Indigenous Data Sovereignty to identify engagement activities of member departments that could be leveraged for collaboration in advancing Shared Priority 30 of The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan on supporting Indigenous Data Sovereignty.
• Work continues through ISC’s Data Access and Sharing Review Board to identify and address key questions concerning external data sharing requests and processes.

The Data Sharing Policy is on track for completion in 2025. Materials are still being drafted and not yet available publicly.

ISC’s continued commitment to develop a Policy on External Data Sharing under ISC’s Transformational Approach to Indigenous Data (TAID) is highlighted in key documentation available online:
- Indigenous Services Canada 2024-25 Departmental Plan (https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1700663212614/1700663234295)
- Indigenous Services Canada 2023-24 Departmental Results Report (https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection2024/sac-isc/R1-110-2024-eng.pdf)
- 2023-2026 Data Strategy for the Federal Public Service Tracker – Action 3.4.a https://search.open.canada.ca/datastrategy/record/3.4.a,2
- Indigenous Services Canada – Audit of Data Governance https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1701981980328/1701982033184
- GCwiki – Sharing Data with Indigenous Partners: The Transformational Approach to Indigenous Data (includes links to presentation materials: https://wiki.gccollab.ca/index.php?title=SharingDatawithIndigenousPartners:TheTransformationalApproachtoIndigenousData&mobileaction=toggleview_desktop)

ISC is committed to creating a Policy on External Data Sharing that is informed by engagement with First Nations, Inuit and Métis governments and organizations. This is a key milestone under ISC’s Transformational Approach to Indigenous Data (TAID), a multi-phase initiative that is supporting the development of First Nations-, Inuit-, and Métis-led statistical capacity in alignment with federal commitments to support Indigenous Data Sovereignty (per Shared Priority 30 of the UN Declaration Act Action Plan; and Action 3.4.a of the 2023-2026 Data Strategy for the Federal Public Service).

Due to operational constraints, the launch of the multi-stage engagement process to develop the Policy on External Data Sharing was delayed until Spring 2024. Input from engagement partners continues to be collected, and subsequent touchpoints on the forthcoming deliverables (i.e., a What We Heard Report and the draft Policy) are planned throughout 2025. Due to current timelines and the importance of continued dialogue and engagement with partners as a pre-requisite to policy development, engagement activities are expected to extend through December 2025 with implementation of the Policy targeted for 2026.

• Socialized ISC’s work in support of Indigenous Data Sovereignty, including highlighting the implementation of a departmental data sharing guide and launch of the engagement for the development of the Policy on External Data Sharing. Presentations showcasing this work were, for example, delivered at the Data Sovereignty Workshop held by the Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq and Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and to ISC’s Regional Medical Officers of Health and Liaison Network Table.
• Launched engagement sessions with Indigenous governments and organizations on the development of ISC’s Policy on External Data Sharing. Feedback from engagement partners is being accepted until December 2, 2024, and engagement activities overall are expected to conclude by Fall 2025 and will result in a draft Policy and What We Heard Report.
• The implementation of the Memorandum of Collaboration (MOC) between ISC and FNIGC, signed in January 2024, is underway. The MOC outlines six priority projects designed to support the implementation of the First Nations Data Governance Strategy (FNDGS) and the Transformational Approach to Indigenous Data (TAID), including engagement with the FNIGC and its partners on the development of ISC's Policy on External Data Sharing.
• Work continues to meet requirements in the Management Action Plan of ISC’s Audit of Data Governance. This includes the completion of an internal data stewardship gap analysis to ensure that departmental data assets are accurately catalogued and appropriately governed with oversight from Executive Data Stewards, Business Data Stewards, and Data Custodians, per recommendation #2 of the Management Action Plan. The Audit of Data Governance can be viewed at the following link: https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1701981980328/1701982033184.
• Work continues through the interdepartmental Working Group on Indigenous Data Sovereignty to identify engagement activities of member departments that could be leveraged for collaboration in advancing Shared Priority 30 of The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan on supporting Indigenous Data Sovereignty.
• Work continues through ISC’s Data Access and Sharing Review Board to identify and address key questions concerning external data sharing requests and processes.

The Data Sharing Policy is on track for completion in 2025. Materials are still being drafted and not yet available publicly.

What priorities should a policy address with respect to data sharing, and the governance and management of Indigenous data more broadly?

• Socialized ISC’s data sharing efforts, including latest work on developing a departmental data sharing policy and guide, as part of the Canada School of Public Service’s virtual event Sharing Data with Indigenous Partners: The Transformational Approach to Indigenous Data held in June 2024. Over 1500 participants across federal departments registered for the event, which resulted in significant follow-up requests for ISC advice and tools on data sharing.
• Delivered presentations on ISC’s engagement plan for the Policy on External Data Sharing at multiple venues, including to ISC’s Data Stewardship Network and Data Access and Sharing Review Board, as well as at the First Nations Information Governance Centre’s All Teams Meeting.
• Launched the engagement with Indigenous governments, organizations and other external stakeholders on ISC’s Policy on External Data Sharing. Twenty-one First Nations, Inuit and Métis governments and organizations were formally invited to engage and supplied with background and discussion materials that will support engagement activities. The engagement is expected to conclude by Fall 2025, and will result in a draft Policy and What We Heard Report.
• Work continues to meet requirements in the Management Action Plan of ISC’s Audit on Data Governance. This includes defining and formalizing the roles and responsibilities of Executive Data Stewards, Data Stewards (Business Data Stewards), and Data Custodians, as per the Audit, which were approved by ISC senior management in March 2024. The Audit on Data Governance can be viewed at the following link: https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1701981980328/1701982033184.
• Work continues through the interdepartmental Working Group on Indigenous Data Sovereignty to identify engagement activities of member departments that could be leveraged for collaboration in advancing Shared Priority 30 of The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan on supporting Indigenous Data Sovereignty. The Working Group highlighted initiatives contributing to the support of Indigenous Data Sovereignty in the Third annual progress report on the implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, released on June 20, 2024. These initiatives include the Transformational Approach to Indigenous Data, led by Indigenous Services Canada, which supports Indigenous partners in developing their data strategies and in strengthening their data capacity. See the Report here: https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/declaration/report-rapport/2024/pdf/UNDAThirdannual_report.pdf
• Work continues through ISC’s Data Access and Sharing Review Board to identify and address key questions concerning external data sharing requests and processes.

The Data Sharing Policy is on track for completion in 2025. Materials are still being drafted and not yet available publicly.

What priorities should the Policy address with respect to data sharing, and the governance and management of Indigenous data more broadly? How can ISC best engage on these priorities with different Indigenous governments and organizations, who may have different knowledges and perspectives to bring to the engagement process?

• Socialized ISC’s data sharing efforts, including latest work on developing a departmental data sharing policy and guide, as part of the GC Data Conference 2024’s Data sharing in GC to enable enterprise-wide automation virtual workshop session held in February.
• Informed by consultation with an engagement expert, ISC developed a refined, targeted multi-stage engagement approach with Indigenous governments, organizations, and other external stakeholders on the development of the Policy on External Data Sharing. The refined engagement approach was socialized to key ISC senior management committees for information and awareness, and is now expected to be launched by Summer 2024 and concluded by Fall 2025.
• Work continues to develop on engagement materials that will support the facilitation of engagement activities with external partners on the Policy.
• ISC and the First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC) signed a Memorandum of Collaboration in January 2024 outlining six priority projects designed to support the implementation of the First Nations Data Governance Strategy (FNDGS) and the Transformational Approach to Indigenous Data (TAID), including engagement with the FNIGC and its partners on the development of ISC's Policy on External Data Sharing.
• Internally launched the Departmental Guide to External Data Sharing for departmental use, which provides ISC employees with a step-by-step roadmap and tools to share departmental data with external parties and will be iteratively updated based on the development and engagement on ISC’s Policy on External Data Sharing.
• Hosted a department-wide training session on the Departmental Guide to External Data Sharing and related tools in both official languages, covering the content of Information Sharing Agreements (ISAs).
• Work continues to meet requirements in the Management Action Plan of ISC’s Audit on Data Governance, including the development and socialization of departmental roles and responsibilities related to data stewardship and external data sharing activities. The Audit on Data Governance can be viewed at the following link: https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1701981980328/1701982033184.
• Work continues through the interdepartmental Working Group on Indigenous Data Sovereignty to identify engagement activities of member departments that could be leveraged for collaboration in advancing Shared Priority 30 of The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan on supporting Indigenous Data Sovereignty.
• Work continues through ISC’s Data Access and Sharing Review Board to identify and address key questions concerning external data sharing requests and processes.

The Data Sharing Policy is on track for completion in 2025. Materials are still being drafted and not yet available publicly.

What priorities should the Policy address with respect to data sharing, and the governance and management of Indigenous data more broadly? How can ISC best engage on these priorities with different Indigenous governments and organizations, who may have different knowledges and perspectives to bring to the engagement process?

• Continued to socialize and deliver information on the Policy at multiple venues, including in presentations to the Department of Justice’s Centre for Information and Privacy Law Learning Day, ISC’s Quebec Regional Operations Sector, the First Nations Information Governance Centre’s (FNIGC’s) Board of Directors, the Canadian School of Public Service (CSPS) Data for Impact Series panel on Supporting Indigenous Data Sovereignty, and the Indigenous Economic Data Panel as part of the Indigenomics Bay Street Conference.
• An updated Departmental Guide to External Data Sharing and associated tools were developed based on internal stakeholder feedback and key lessons learned since the release of the Preliminary Guide to the Department in 2022. The Guide is an internal, evergreen document that clarifies and streamlines existing external data sharing processes in the Department, and will help to inform the future ISC Policy on External Data Sharing.
• Work continues to refine a multi-stage engagement approach on the Policy on External Data Sharing, with an expected launch date in Spring 2024.
• ISC completed an internal Audit on Data Governance in September 2023, which was included in ISC’s Risk-Based Audit Plan for 2022-2023. The Management Action Plan to address the Audit includes an action item to develop the Policy on External Data Sharing as part of implementing robust data loss prevention strategies and mechanisms to improve the security of data. The Audit on Data Governance can be viewed at the following link: https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1701981980328/1701982033184
• Work continues through the interdepartmental Working Group on Indigenous Data Sovereignty to advance Shared Priority 30 of The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan on supporting Indigenous Data Sovereignty. This includes interdepartmental engagement to identify new member departments that are leading initiatives that support Shared Priority 30, as well as the finalization of the Working Group’s Terms of Reference that indicate plans for collaboration on the engagement activities of member departments, including upcoming engagement on ISC’s Policy on External Data Sharing.
• Work continues through ISC’s Data Access and Sharing Review Board to identify and address key questions as part of ISC’s ongoing analysis of legislative, policy, and technical barriers to external data sharing.

The Data Sharing Policy is on track for completion in 2025. Materials are still being drafted and not yet available publicly.

What priorities should the Policy address with respect to data sharing, and the governance and management of Indigenous data more broadly? How can ISC best engage on these priorities with different Indigenous governments and organizations, who may have different knowledges and perspectives to bring to the engagement process?

• Continued to socialize and deliver information sessions on the Policy at multiple venues, including presentations to the World Statistics Congress (WSC), the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario (FedNor), the Infrastructure Canada (INFC) Indigenous and Intergovernmental Relations Policy Circle, and the British Columbia Federal Council (BCFC).
• Refreshed the ISC Departmental Data Strategy for 2023-2025, which highlights the Policy on External Data Sharing as a key action item deliverable under the Data as an Asset – for Service Transfer thematic pillar.
• Work continues through ISC’s Data Access and Sharing Review Board to identify and address key questions as part of ISC’s ongoing analysis of legislative, policy, and technical barriers to external data sharing.

The Data Sharing Policy is on track for completion in 2025. Materials are still being drafted and not yet available publicly.

ISC is planning to formally launch engagement on the Policy in the coming months. What opportunities or venues might ISC leverage to further raise awareness of this process and seek participation from First Nations, Inuit, and Métis governments and organizations?

• Continued to socialize and deliver information sessions on the Policy at multiple venues, including presentations to the Open Government Coordinators Working Group (OGCWG), FNIHB Mental Wellness Data Group, National Inuit Data Management Committee, ISC’s Data Stewardship Network, and the Nationhood Data Technical Working Group Workshop hosted by the National Consortium for Indigenous Economic Development (NCIED).
• Planned an updated engagement approach based on feedback gathered from socialization/pre-engagement efforts and interdepartmental collaboration activities, which will be tailored to the needs and priorities of the different Indigenous partners that ISC will engage with on the Policy on External Data Sharing.
• Collaborated with federal partners on the inclusion of support for Indigenous Data Sovereignty as a government-wide priority in the 2023-2026 Data Strategy for the Federal Public Service, which identifies ISC as a federal domain leader in Indigenous data including on the development of policies and guidance for the identification, sharing, management, and governance of Indigenous data to support self-determination and data sovereignty.
• Collaborated with federal partners on the inclusion in The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan of a commitment (Measure 30) to supporting Indigenous Data Sovereignty; and on the establishment of a new interdepartmental working group to address the Measure. The working group will serve as a forum for interdepartmental collaboration and alignment on Indigenous data-focused initiatives across the federal government, including on ISC’s Policy on External Data Sharing and related engagement activities.
• Work continues through ISC's Data Access and Sharing Review Board to identify and address key questions as part of ISC's ongoing analysis of legislative, policy, and technical barriers to external data sharing.

The Data Sharing Policy is on track for completion in 2025. Materials are still being drafted and not yet available publicly.

• How can ISC best formalize the engagement process to meet the diverse needs and priorities of the Indigenous governments, organizations, and communities that the policy will impact?
• Since making this commitment under the National Action Plan, further commitments have been made by the federal government to support Indigenous Data Sovereignty through the 2023-2026 Data Strategy for the Federal Public Service and The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan. ISC has supported and aligned our work on data sharing with these further commitments. Do you agree with this approach?

• Socialization and pre-engagement on the Policy continued at multiple venues, including presentations to the Network for Sharing Indigenous Information and Research (NSIIR), Results-Based Innovation Network (RBIN), and Research at Lunch event hosted by ISC’s Strategic Research and Data Innovation Branch (SRDIB).
• An engagement plan on the Policy is being finalized to outline the engagement process and timeline with Indigenous Peoples between 2023 to 2025; plan presented for feedback to the Interdepartmental Collaborative Committee on Indigenous Data’s (ICCID’s) quarterly meeting on the topic of engagement.
• A detailed engagement package is being finalized to support the initial stage of engagement to identify key Indigenous-driven data sharing guiding principles and objectives that the policy will aim to achieve, including an extensive analysis of ongoing engagement efforts and Indigenous-authored materials to reduce engagement burden and align with other major Government of Canada initiatives that impact information sharing efforts with our Indigenous partners.
• Coordination initiated with key departments including Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC), Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and DOJ’s United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (UNDA) Secretariat on the engagement approach for the Policy.
• Internal, departmental training and engagement conducted on the Preliminary Departmental Guide to External Data Sharing, as a precursor to the development of the Policy on External Data Sharing.
• Work continues through ISC's Data Access and Sharing Review Board to identify and address key questions as part of ISC's ongoing analysis of legislative, policy, and technical barriers to external data sharing.

The Data Sharing Policy is on track for completion in 2025. Materials are still being drafted and not yet available publicly.

How can ISC best reduce engagement burden with respect to Government-wide engagement initiatives related to information access?

• External socialization and pre-engagement on the Policy initiated at multiple venues, including presentations to the Canadian Open Data Summit 2022, National Indigenous Economic Development Board (NIEDB), and National Inuit Data Management Council.
• Work continues on a comprehensive engagement plan to support formal engagement on the Policy starting in April 2023, in alignment with other major Government of Canada initiatives that impact information sharing efforts with our Indigenous partners.
• Internal engagement continues on the Preliminary Departmental Guide to External Data Sharing, as a precursor to development on the Policy on External Data Sharing.
• Internal working group restructured with departmental data stewards and legal & privacy experts, to collaborate on key legal and policy questions around the development of the Policy on External Data Sharing.
• Work continues through ISC's Data Access and Sharing Review Board to identify and address key questions as part of ISC's ongoing analysis of legislative, policy, and technical barriers to external data sharing.

The Data Sharing Policy is on track for completion in 2025. Materials are still being drafted and not yet available publicly.

What are the key objectives that the Data Sharing Policy should address to improve Indigenous access to ISC data?

• Preliminary guide to external data sharing is complete and internal engagement has begun, as a precursor to development of the Policy on External Data Sharing.
• Pre-engagement on the Policy on External Data Sharing is beginning, with the first pre-engagement event (Canadian Open Data Summit) planned for the beginning of November, to identify opportunities and partners for engagement on the content of the Policy.
• Materials for pre-engagement and a plan for engagement on the Data Sharing Policy are being developed and aligned with other major Government initiatives that impact information sharing efforts with our Indigenous partners.
• Work continues through ISC's Data Access and Sharing Review Board to identify and address key questions as part of ISC's ongoing analysis of legislative, policy, and technical barriers to external data sharing.

The Data Sharing Policy is on track for completion in 2025. Materials are still being drafted and not yet available publicly.

How can ISC ensure meaningful engagement on the development of the Policy on External Data Sharing? What opportunities and partnerships would best support a transparent and open policy development process?

• Internal working group struck to collaborate on development of the Policy on External Data Sharing.
  -Policy identified as key 2022-23 priority for the federal Interdepartmental Collaborative Committee on Indigenous Data to advance best practices and a more whole-of-government approach.
  -Approach for engaging with Indigenous Peoples on the Policy being developed.
• Departmental external data sharing guidelines and associated tools have been drafted to clarify and streamline existing data sharing processes, as a precursor to development of the Policy

The Data Sharing Policy is on track for completion in 2025. Materials are still being drafted and not yet available publicly.

What obstacles do external parties encounter when accessing data from ISC? How could the Data Sharing Policy address these?

• Socialization and pre-engagement on the Policy continued at multiple venues, including presentations to the Network for Sharing Indigenous Information and Research (NSIIR), Results-Based Innovation Network (RBIN), and Research at Lunch event hosted by ISC’s Strategic Research and Data Innovation Branch (SRDIB).
• An engagement plan on the Policy is being finalized to outline the engagement process and timeline with Indigenous Peoples between 2023 to 2025; plan presented for feedback to the Interdepartmental Collaborative Committee on Indigenous Data’s (ICCID’s) quarterly meeting on the topic of engagement.
• A detailed engagement package is being finalized to support the initial stage of engagement to identify key Indigenous-driven data sharing guiding principles and objectives that the policy will aim to achieve, including an extensive analysis of ongoing engagement efforts and Indigenous-authored materials to reduce engagement burden and align with other major Government of Canada initiatives that impact information sharing efforts with our Indigenous partners.
• Coordination initiated with key departments including Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC), Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and DOJ’s United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (UNDA) Secretariat on the engagement approach for the Policy.
• Internal, departmental training and engagement conducted on the Preliminary Departmental Guide to External Data Sharing, as a precursor to the development of the Policy on External Data Sharing.
• Work continues through ISC's Data Access and Sharing Review Board to identify and address key questions as part of ISC's ongoing analysis of legislative, policy, and technical barriers to external data sharing.

The Data Sharing Policy is on track for completion in 2025. Materials are still being drafted and not yet available publicly.

How can ISC best reduce engagement burden with respect to Government-wide engagement initiatives related to information access?