In the process of describing the health and well-being of Inuit in southern Quebec, the project will foster self-reliance, community capacity and institutional development in health of the community. The principles will guide the research process :
1. Benefit the community
- The project will be relevant and beneficial to the urban Inuit community.
- The project will reflect community priorities in health and wellbeing.
- The southern Quebec Inuit community at large will be informed of the project goals, process and outcomes.
2. Engage with Inuit worldview
- Inuit knowledge is recognized and respected
- The research process will draw from Inuit knowledge systems and processes
- The project is grounded in the right of all participants to be fully informed in order to make decisions about research and their level of involvement.
3. Respect individuals and communities
- The right to confidentiality is guaranteed throughout the research.
- The project takes into consideration the physical, social and economic environment of participants, and the impacts that research can have on the community.
- The dignity of research participants and partnership members is respected and made without judgment.
4. Acknowledge different ways of knowing and doing
- The co-creation of new knowledge is a project objective.
- Inuit jurisdiction over culture, intellectual property and knowledge is recognized.
- Communications shall be in Inuktitut, English and French wherever possible.
- The professional responsibilities and obligations of researchers are recognized and respected.
5. Collaborate on shared goals
- Community partners and researchers will work in partnership throughout the research process, including the development of research questions, methodologies, data collection and interpretation, and sharing of results.
- Two-way knowledge exchange will occur between researchers and the community throughout the process.
- Partners share a commitment to recognizing and respecting each other’s values, knowledge and expertise.
- The process is flexible and subject to ongoing adjustment by all concerned.
6. Build community capacity
- The project will support Inuit empowerment to develop initiatives for health and well-being.
- The project will support efforts to maintain Inuit language, culture and identity, as well as to promote the rights and interests of participants.
- The project will contribute to the development of skills and employment experience of Inuit CEGEP and university students.
- The project will offer opportunities for skills and capacity development among the community at large.
7. Recognize authorship and contributions of all involved
- Data interpretation and sharing of results will be done in collaboration with Inuit partners, the community and researchers.
- The community has the right to oversee and control their representation in project media.
- Authorship of reports and other publications will be shared between academic and community partners.
- Recognition of the role of the Community Advisory Committee, the SQIA and other organizations will be given in reports and publications.
- A separate document describing the conditions of Ownership, Control, Access and Possession of the data will be developed by the partnership team before the research is undertaken.
