Ethics in Community Based Monitoring and Knowledge Coproduction A Report on Proceedings from the Ethical Space for Knowledge Coproduction Workshop on Ethics in Community Based Monitoring “We are building bridges not just between multiple knowledge systems, or different cultural perspectives, but we are building bridges amongst ourselves as people…” –Dr. Fred Wrona, Chief Scientist, Alberta Environment and Parks “… So we help build a bridge. And you have to work at it and find the right way, the right ingredients and mixtures to build that bridge.” –Chief Tony Alexis, Alexis Nakota Sioux First Nation 1 The workshop took place February 12-13, 2019 at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta on the traditional territories of Treaty 6 Nations and the homelands of the Métis peoples. Ethics in Community Based Monitoring and Knowledge Coproduction A Report on Proceedings from the Ethical Space for Knowledge Coproduction Workshop on Ethics in Community Based Monitoring Edited by Kelly Bannister, Karin Smith Fargey and Megan Spencer Workshop held February 12-13, 2019, at the University of Alberta (Edmonton, Alberta) on the traditional territories of Treaty 6 Nations and the homelands of the Métis peoples. Cover photo: View from the Workshop venue overlooking the North Saskatchewan River Kisiskâciwani-sîpiy (Cree). Willow dreamcatcher made by KaPayuK O Nepowat, Aaron J. Lee. 2 DREAMCATCHER ARTIST’S STATEMENT AND BIO The dreamcatcher image used on the cover and as a header throughout this report was made by Aaron J. Lee, KaPayuK O Nepowat. It was gifted to one of the workshop co-facilitators at the end of the gathering. This photo was taken in a moment of reflection, looking through the window at the view we shared during the workshop of the North Saskatchewan River Kisiskâciwani-sîpiy (Cree) and the bridges across the river. The artist was contacted after the workshop to ask his permission to use this special image of his work. Permission was graciously given to include the dreamcatcher image, as well as the artist’s statement, bio and contact information. Aaron J. Lee, KaPayuK O Nepowat (He Stands Alone/The Center Pole) THE GRANDMOTHERS AND GRANDFATHERS WILLOW DREAMCATCHER The Grandmothers and Grandfathers originally were so named because a tobacco offering was made with a prayer to Grandmother Willow Spirit for payment. The willow is cut and wrapped and cured before the webbing is done. The willow naturally shapes like an egg, which is like a sweat- lodge where we go to the womb of Mother Earth to purify our Spirit. The frame of the sweat-lodge is made of willow and the stones used are called the Grandfathers and that is where the name comes from. The webbing is the medicine of the Spider and is sacred geometry and works to protect ones dreams with that medicine. The stones are all gems and crystals that have their own knowledge to pass us. ABOUT THE ARTIST Aaron J. Lee, also called KaPayuK O Nepowat, is a member of the Ermineskin Cree Nation of Maskwacis, Alberta, Canada. He is from a family of artisans and has been sharing his artistic works since the Calgary 1988 Winter Olympics where he sold chokers. He is a graduate of the Native Cultural Arts Program at Portage College, Lac La Biche and was selected as one of six Alberta Artisans to represent at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. He served as chairman for Kiyanaw First Peoples showcase at Northlands Edmonton K Days. In June 2017 he sent a dreamcatcher via the Canadian Space Agency and Australian Space Agency thirty-six kilometres into the upper atmosphere with the RumbleSat Art In Space, Uproute Space Program. Contact: [email protected] 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We offer deep gratitude to the Elders and Knowledge Holders for gifting knowledge and wisdom during the gathering. We give profound thanks to the keynote speakers, panel presenters, and all participants and staff for fulsomely participating and co-creating the content included in this report. The workshop took place at the University of Alberta on the traditional territories of Treaty 6 Nations and the homelands of the Métis peoples. It was co-sponsored by Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) Environmental Monitoring and Science (EMSD) Division and the University of Alberta Tracking Change Project. The proceedings of the workshop upon which this report is based were documented with permission of participants through note-taking, charting, audio recording, and photography. Electronic copies of co-created charts and other workshop materials were shared back with all participants directly following the workshop for their personal reference and are not included here. All presentation summaries included in this report were reviewed and approved by the respective speakers. One summary could not be reviewed in time to include in the report due to unforeseen circumstances so space has been held in case it can be included in future. Any errors or omissions are unintentional. This report should be considered as a living document that will be adjusted as necessary to ensure it respectfully and accurately shares the intended information provided by those who contributed. Compiled and Edited by: Kelly Bannister, Karin Smith Fargey and Megan Spencer Note Takers, Table Monitors and Chart Recorders: Josh Cronmiller, Tracy Howlett, Marley Kozak, Justine Kummer, Bill Snow, Erin Tessier, Krista Tremblett, and Zoey Wang Sticky Note Transcription: Josh Cronmiller Ethical Issues Documentation: Krista Tremblett Audio Recording: Zizhao (Finn) Wang Photo Credits: Kelly Bannister, Tracy Howlett and Justine Kummer Layout and Design: Megan Spencer and Kelly Bannister Published by: Ravenscall Enterprises Ltd. For Inquiries about this publication: [email protected] 4 CITATION AND COPYRIGHT Bannister, K., Smith Fargey, K. & Spencer, M. (Eds). 2019. Ethics in Community Based Monitoring and Knowledge Coproduction. A Report on Proceedings from the "Ethical Space for Knowledge Coproduction: Workshop on Ethics in Community Based Monitoring." February 12-13, 2019, Edmonton, Alberta. © 2019 Ravenscall Enterprises Ltd and the Workshop Contributors whose words are shared in this Report. Content in this report is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial- NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License. Under the terms of this license, the material may be shared and copied in any medium or format for non-commercial purposes only (Non Commercial), without modification of the material (No Derivatives), as long as citation details are included and full credit is given to the Workshop Contributors (Attribution). Workshop co-facilitators, Keynote speakers and Panel presenters, from left to right: Kelly Bannister, Kyra Northwest, Janelle Baker, Carla Davidson, Bill Snow, Michael Evans, Cleo Reece, Marsha Heavy Head, Debra Hopkins, and Karin Smith Fargey (missing: Matt Munson and Pierre Haddad) 5 KEY TERMS AND DEFINITIONS Community based monitoring (CBM) – a process for communities to observe, track and respond to interests of common concern, collaboratively with external partners. Knowledge coproduction – a way of respectfully braiding Indigenous, local and scientific ways of knowing to develop a holistic understanding of the status and trends of biocultural diversity in a given landscape. Done in an ethical way, the braiding of multiple ways of knowing leads to new insights and innovations for maintaining and enhancing biocultural diversity. Knowledge coproduction in CBM – CBM based on knowledge coproduction provides a platform to address the concerns and interests of Indigenous peoples and local communities living with environmental change, whether due to climate change, industrial development, ongoing land uses, or some combination of these changes. Indigenous and local ways of knowing play a number of critical roles in CBM, from offering a baseline of historical data, against which contemporary environmental changes may be assessed, to providing a factual and holistic understanding of the relationship between different elements of biocultural diversity. Ethical Space – a concept first introduced to research ethics by Cree scholar and educator Willie Ermine1 and described as a metaphorical “space between the Indigenous and Western spheres of culture and knowledge.”2 Ethical space can be understood as an invitation to step outside of our own worldviews and assumptions and step into an undefined neutral zone that is an “abstract, nebulous space of possibility.”3 New possibilities exist because of our differences, thus ethical space is co-created together as we retain our autonomy and respect our differences. Research Ethics – the study of the appropriate ethical standards for research involving humans and the establishment of appropriate governance mechanisms for such research (e.g., policy, guidelines). Research ethics principles are intended to ensure research balances the need for scientific inquiry with the priority obligation to respect the human dignity and well-being of individuals and collectives. The overarching national research ethics policy in Canada is the Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS2, 2018).4 The underlying value of TCPS2 is “Respect for Human Dignity,” which is defined as a sensitivity to the inherent worth of all human beings. 1 Ermine 2000. 2 Ermine et al. 2004:20. 3 Ermine et al. 2004:20. 4 The Tri-Council Policy Statement: Ethical Conduct For Research Involving Humans (TCPS2, 2018) is available at: http://pre.ethics.gc.ca/eng/documents/tcps2-2018-en-interactive-final.pdf