You are encouraged to attend the defence. The details of the defence and attendance information is included below:  

Date: June 19, 2025 
Time: 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM (PT)  

Defence mode: Remote 
Virtual Attendance: via Zoom 

LINK TO JOIN: Please contact the Office of Graduate Administration for information regarding remote attendance for online defences. 

To ensure the defence proceeds with no interruptions, please mute your audio and video on entry and do not inadvertently share your screen. The meeting will be locked to entry 5 minutes after it begins: please ensure you are on time.  

Thesis entitled: OPPORTUNITIES TO ENHANCE INDIGENOUS DATA SOVEREIGNTY: LESSONS FROM THE INTRODUCTION OF MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTICS IN FIRST NATION COMMUNITIES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract: This thesis examines how the implementation of community-operated molecular diagnostic instruments during the COVID-19 pandemic supported First Nation data sovereignty and Nation-based health governance. Focusing on their use in rural, remote, and First Nation communities in British Columbia, the study illustrates how timely access to health data—when governed by communities themselves—enabled responsive and culturally grounded public health action.

Guided by Anishinaabek teachings and Indigenous methodologies—including critical place inquiry and the principle of “all our relations”— the research engaged with health leaders in First Nation communities, public health professionals, and representatives from Provincial and Federal staff involved in the planning and operationalizing of COVID-19 diagnostics. Interviews were conducted using strength-based, relational approaches that honoured diverse perspectives and lived experiences related to “bringing testing closer to home” initiatives.

Key findings emphasize the need for equitable, place-based data collection systems that uphold Indigenous ways of knowing and align with the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act. Diagnostics offered during COVID-19 were shown to serve not only as clinical tools but also as instruments of sovereignty—supporting self-determined health governance and enabling proactive responses to both current and emerging challenges. 

The study calls for sustained investment in technologies that can be adapted to monitor emerging infectious diseases, water, air, and environmental health conditions, guided by Indigenous leadership and priorities. Reconnecting diagnostics with place, people, land and policy offers a pathway toward more responsive, resilient, and Nation-based public health systems grounded in Indigenous knowledge, jurisdiction, and wisdoms. The findings and recommendations from this research emphasize the importance of centering Indigenous jurisdiction, environmental interconnectedness, and policy alignment in shaping future pathways for health sovereignty.

Defence Committee:  
Chair: Dr. Sarah Gray
Supervisor: Dr. Margot Parkes
Committee Member: Dr. Daniele Behn Smith
Committee Member: Dr. Courtney Defriend
Committee Member: Dr. Tammy Klessen-Ross
External Examiner: Dr. Dawn Hoogeveen