New Data Standard

Intended Audience and Contact Information

Contact	Chief Data Officer, Office of the CIO
Intended audience:	Internal UBC
UDM Domain	Person

Purpose

This standard aims to achieve consistency around the data collected for Indigenous People and the format in which it is collected and stored in across the University.

This standard is based on the general Indigenous People data standards laid out by the UBC Policy for identification of Aboriginal Students¹ which cites Constitution Act, 1982, Part II, Section 35(2), being Schedule B to the Canada Act 1982 (U.K.), 1982, c. 11 and Government Standard for Aboriginal Administrative Data² published by the BC Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation Intergovernmental and Community Relations Aboriginal Administrative Data Standard. The Style Guide for Reporting on Indigenous People³ published by Journalists for Human Rights has been adopted as a guideline for presentation and addressing of Indigenous People data.

This data standard has been reviewed and approved for adoption in its entirety with the exception of systems subject to dispensation (See Dispensation section).

Standard

Indigenous People Data Standard

An Indigenous person is identified in accordance to the Constitution Act of 1982, Part II, Section 35(2), as “the Indian, Inuit and Métis peoples of Canada”. Canada’s indigenous population is distinct and diverse. The Constitution Act recognizes the indigenous peoples of Canada as the Indian, Inuit and Métis peoples of Canada1.

There are two components of Indigenous People data that need to be captured to facilitate various responsibilities of the University. The standard speaks to each of the components, their collection and respective reference values, where applicable.

Indigenous Identity

Indigenous identity refers to a person reporting that he or she identifies with, or is a member of, an organic political or cultural entity that stems historically from the original persons of North America. The term includes the Indian, Inuit and Métis peoples of Canada⁴.

Indigenous Identity Attributes

Indigenous Identity data must be collected through the following two attributes:

Attribute	Requirement	Definition	Suggested Question for Data Collection
Indigenous Identity Indicator	Optional	An indicator of a person identifying themselves as a part of indigenous population.	Do you identify yourself as an Indigenous person, that is, First Nations, Métis or Inuit? - Yes
Indigenous Identity Group	Optional	A group within the indigenous population that a person identifies to be a part of.	If you identify yourself as an Indigenous person, are you: First Nations? Métis? Inuit? Choose not to disclose

Accepted Data Values for Indigenous Identity Indicator

Following values are accepted at UBC for Indigenous Identity Indicator.

Accepted Data Value	Definition
Yes	Response for a person identifying themselves to be a part of indigenous population.

Accepted Data Values for Indigenous Identity Group

Following values are accepted at UBC for Indigenous Identity Group.

Accepted Data Value	Definition
First Nations	Officially called Indians in the Indian Act, this term refers to the indigenous peoples of North America located in what is now Canada, and their descendants, who are not Inuit or Métis.
Métis	Who self-identifies as Métis, is of historic Métis Nation Ancestry, is distinct from other Aboriginal Peoples and is accepted by the Métis Nation.
Inuit	Indigenous inhabitants of the North American Arctic.
Choose not to disclose	Response for someone who chooses not to provide a response.

A person may choose more than one value as response; except when they select “Choose not to disclose”, no other value may be selected as response.

First Nations Details

First Nations people are the largest Indigenous group in Canada⁵. The Canadian government categorizes First Nations people between Status and Non-Status. The Status information may be collected at UBC for various purposes.

First Nations Details Attributes

First Nations Details must be collected through the following two attributes:

Attribute	Requirement	Definition	Suggested Question for Data Collection
First Nations Status Indicator	Optional (Required when First Nations is selected as Indigenous Identity Group)	An indicator of a person identifying themselves as a First Nations people with Status.	Are you registered under the Indian Act of Canada (i.e. a Status Indian)? - Yes - No - Choose not to disclose
First Nations Community Indicator	Optional (Required when First Nations is selected as Indigenous Identity Group)	An indicator of a person identifying themselves as a First Nations people living in a First Nations Community.	If you identify yourself as a First Nations person do you live in a First Nations Community? Yes No Choose not to disclose

Accepted Data Values for First Nations Status Indicator

Following values are accepted at UBC for First Nations Status Indicator.

Accepted Data Value	Definition
Yes	Response for an indigenous person identifying themselves to be registered with the federal government and member of a First Nation community recognized by the government.
No	Response for an indigenous person not identifying themselves to be registered with the federal government and member of a First Nation community recognized by the government.
Choose not to disclose	Response for someone who chooses not to provide a response.

Accepted Data Values for First Nations Community Indicator

Following values are accepted at UBC for First Nations Community Indicator.

Accepted Data Value	Definition
Yes	Response for an indigenous person identifying themselves to be living in a First Nation community.
No	Response for an indigenous person not identifying themselves to be living in a First Nation community.
Choose not to disclose	Response for someone who chooses not to provide a response.

Guideline for Terms Usage

In recognition of the recommendations from GOVERNMENT STANDARD FOR ABORIGINAL ADMINISTRATIVE DATA published by Ministry of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation Intergovernmental and Community Relations Aboriginal Administrative Data Standard and the Style Guide for Reporting on Indigenous People published by Journalists for Human Rights, this standard lays following guidelines for usage of terms related to Indigenous People.

Preferred Term (Recommended)	Generally Used Terms (Not Recommended)	Rationale
Indigenous	Aboriginal	Many Indigenous people have opposed the term in large part due the connotation of the Ab-prefix, which is frequently compared to “abnormal” (not normal) or “absent” and “abduct” (away). Avoid using Aboriginal unless it is in a legal context, it is part of a proper name (e.g. Aboriginal People’s Television Network) or the subject identifies themselves as such.
Indigenous people in Canada	Canada’s Indigenous people	It is paternalistic to use “Canada’s Indigenous people” and implies Canada owns Indigenous people.
Indigenous	Indigenous Canadians	Many Indigenous people, specifically First Nations and Métis, identify as being nations within a nation.
Indigenous	Native Canadians	Many Indigenous people, specifically First Nations and Métis, identify as being nations within a nation.
First Nations	Native or Indian	The term Indian is considered offensive and should be used only in historical or legal contexts (e.g., Indian status, Indian Act).
First Nation or community	Reserve	Use First Nation or community instead of “reserve,” unless the story is specifically about the tract of land allocated to a First Nation. Do not use “reservation,” which is U.S. terminology.
People or Nation	Tribe	Avoid the use of “tribe” to describe a First Nation group (ie. Dene, Blackfoot.) unless the subject prefers (Blood tribe). Use people or nation instead. Do not use “tribal affiliation” as it is U.S. terminology and generally unacceptable to First Nations people in Canada.
Métis	Indigenous and Métis	Métis are definitionally Indigenous and Aboriginal. This language usage implies that Métis are less than fully Indigenous/Aboriginal and is generally considered offensive.
Métis	Aboriginal and Métis	Métis are definitionally Indigenous and Aboriginal. This language usage implies that Métis are less than fully Indigenous/Aboriginal and is generally considered offensive.
Inuit	Inuit people	Inuit means people in the Inuktitut language while Inuk means person. Do not use “Inuit people” as it is redundant.
Inuit	Eskimo	Do not use Eskimo. It is a Cree word and means “eater of raw meat” and is considered offensive.

Compliance

This standard about Indigenous People Data must be complied with through every stage of the data lifecycle with the exception of any dispensations (see Dispensation section):

All applications must collect Indigenous People Data as recommended in this standard.
Enterprise Data Integration must adopt this standard.

Dispensation

Legacy systems are exempt from this data standard. As systems are replaced, adoption of this standard is required. Examples of legacy systems are:

Student Information System (SIS)
Human Resource Management System (HRMS)
Finance Management System (FMS)

As existing systems change to adopt this standard, the Enterprise Data Governance team needs to be informed.

Appendices

Effective date
Standard owner	Chief Data Officer, Office of the CIO.
Author	Zoheb Mohammed, Senior Business Analyst – Office of the CIO
Contributors	Marcela Hernandez, Chief Data Officer Kimmis Chow, Enterprise Data Architect Ken Ngyou, Contractor (University Data Model)
Status	Pending Approval
Approved DGSC	Not Approved