The First Nations principles of OCAP establish an

Indigenous data governance Data governance in the context of Indigenous data involves supporting the data interests, gaps and priorities of Indigenous peoples, in order to enable Indigenous self-determination. Generally, data governance refers to who has ownership, control an ...

standard for how

First Nations First Nations or first peoples may refer to: * Indigenous peoples, for ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area. Indigenous groups *First Nations is commonly used to describe some Indigenous groups including: ** First Nat ...

' data and information should be collected, protected, used, and shared. OCAP is an acronym for the principles of ownership, control, access, and possession. The principles were established in 1998 by Canadian First Nations leadership and are a trademark of the Canadian non-profit the

First Nations Information Governance Centre The First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC) is an Ontario, Canada-based non-profit organization working in the field of First Nations data sovereignty. The organization is known for its comprehensive national surveys, which include th ...

(FNIGC).

OCAP

The OCAP principles are a set of standards for First Nations'

information governance Information governance, or IG, is the overall strategy for information at an organization. Information governance balances the risk that information presents with the value that information provides. Information governance helps with legal compl ...

which are intended to support First Nations' path to

data sovereignty Data sovereignty is the idea that data are subject to the laws and governance structures of the nation where they are collected. The concept of data sovereignty is closely linked with data security, cloud computing, network sovereignty and technol ...

. OCAP principles also apply when conducting research using First Nations' data, particularly informing data collection and management. Ownership refers to the relationship of First Nations to their cultural knowledge, data, and information. This principle states that a community or group owns information collectively in the same way that an individual owns their personal information. Control affirms that First Nations, their communities, and representative bodies are within their rights to seek control over all aspects of research and information management processes that impact them. This principle extends to the control of resources and review processes, the planning process, management of the information, and any other component of information processes. Access refers to the assertion that First Nations must have access to information and data about themselves and their communities regardless of where it is held. The principle of access also refers to the right of First Nations' communities and organizations to manage and make decisions regarding access to their collective information. Possession, or stewardship, refers to the physical control of data. It is more concrete than ownership, which identifies the relationship between a people and their information in principle. Possession is the mechanism by which ownership can be asserted and protected.

History

The First Nations principles of OCAP were first established in 1998 by the National Steering Committee in charge of administering the First Nations Regional Longitudinal Health Survey (RHS), which preceded the First Nations Regional Health Survey (FNRHS or RHS). These principles help in enhancing First Nation resources and facilitating nation building while maintaining legitimacy and accountability for First Nation authorities and institutions. OCAP is a registered trademark of FNIGC, a Canada-based non-profit organization. FNIGC states that it sought to trademark OCAP to protect the principles from misuse and improper interpretation that could distort their original intent.

First Nations Information Governance Centre

FNIGC is an independent, apolitical, and technical non-profit organization operating with a special mandate from the

Assembly of First Nations The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is an assembly of Canadian First Nations (Indian bands) represented by their chiefs. Established in 1982 and modelled on the United Nations General Assembly, it emerged from the National Indian Brotherhood, wh ...

' Chiefs-in-Assembly. FNIGC's stated vision is that "every First Nation will achieve data sovereignty in alignment with its distinct worldview."

References

{{Reflist First Nations