About This Report

This report is a compilation of various sources of information and results included in the scope of work for the “Hearing Their Voices” project conducted over the time period inclusive of October 2021 to March 2024.

The sources for this report include contracted researchers’ papers and partner Wabanaki groups findings as well as from meetings and gatherings representatives either hosted or were invited to attend as presenters and as participants.

In all cases the Wabanaki research team endeavored to assure that all research meetings and work conducted under the scope of this project we completed by Indigenous persons and as much as possible Wabanaki persons with disabilities. We worked with Indigenous contractors as well as with various Indigenous service groups, representative organizations, community groups and those that are mandated to work within specific mandated topical areas such as education, health, housing, economic development, employment and training, social programs, youth, women, sports, environment and 2SLGBTQ and more.

This report is the result of the combined efforts of many people the Wabanaki team engaged with over the project time period.

Throughout this report generalized findings and results of these efforts are presented. The report does not provide all of the information gathered during the project period as one of the project goals was to control and manage the flow of information and to protect the Intellectual Property of Wabanaki Ancestral First Nations knowledge. With this as a project goal we adhered to the principles of OCAP® as developed by the First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC)[1].

We sincerely thank everyone that supported this work and efforts and we are thankful to Accessibility Standards Canada for the opportunity to conduct this vital work.

Funded by Accessibility Standards Canada/the Government of Canada.[1] The First Nations principles of ownership, control, access, and possession – more commonly known as OCAP® – assert that First Nations have control over data collection processes, and that they own (IP) and control how this information can be used, stored and accessed. (Source: https://fnigc.ca/ocap-training/)