Infectious Questions : An Infectious Diseases Public Health Podcast

Through insightful conversations, compelling stories, and thoughtful analysis, the Voices of Sovereignty podcast aims to shed light on the importance of First Nations Data Sovereignty and inspire collective action towards a future where First Nation peoples have full control over their data, their narratives, and their destiny.

In episode 4 of this podcast series, Erin Corston and Gonzague Guéranger from the First Nations Information Governance Centre are joining us to share the story behind the development of the First Nations Data Governance Strategy (FNDGS) and talk about a new FNDGS video titled “Stronger Together”, which is about the power of communities joining together to achieve multigenerational First Nations data sovereignty. 

In the third episode of our series, we speak with Jeannette Waegemakers Schiff, an Emerita Professor at the University of Calgary, and a founder of the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness and the Canadian Homeless Research Network.

Jeannette describes the housing first program model, and how housing programs can address gaps in health and social services for individuals without homes. She discusses the differences between rural and urban homelessness, and how public health policies and programs can be responsive to the unique needs of rural communities.

In the second episode of our series, we speak with Dr. Cheryl Forchuk, a University Professor at Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing (Western University); and Scientist and Assistant Director at Lawson Health Research Institute.

Cheryl discusses the public health risks and barriers faced by clients of shelters and mental health facilities. She describes how the lived experiences of shelter clients can reveal significant gaps in public health responses, which can inform more effective collaborations and best-practices for shelters.

Through insightful conversations, compelling stories, and thoughtful analysis, the Voices of Sovereignty podcast aims to shed light on the importance of First Nations Data Sovereignty and inspire collective action towards a future where First Nation peoples have full control over their data, their narratives, and their destiny.

In episode 3 of this podcast series, we will be speaking to Dr. Maggie Walter from the University of Tasmania, joining us to talk about REAL mijidootjik. Mijidootgik is an Anishnaabemowin word that means a person who knowingly commits wrongs. In studies involving First Nations communities, researchers can be REAL mijidootgik as a result of racism (R), a lack of proper engagement (E), approval, accountability (A), and leadership (L). In our conversation with Maggie, we will expand on how REAL mijidootgik in research results in lasting harm for First Nations communities, and how to conduct REAL research; that is, research that acknowledges and works against systemic racism, properly engages First Nations communities, is based on approval and accountability, and grounded in First Nations leadership, governance and control.

Through insightful conversations, compelling stories, and thoughtful analysis, the Voices of Sovereignty podcast aims to shed light on the importance of First Nations Data Sovereignty and inspire collective action towards a future where First Nation peoples have full control over their data, their narratives, and their destiny.

In this second episode, we’ll be speaking to Math’ieya Alatini from the One Yukon Coalition, joining us to share their insights about working on the Wastewater Monitoring Program, and how this program is dedicated to the collection and sharing of data to advance the health and wellness priorities of Yukon communities. Together, we’ll talk about One Yukon’s collaboration with communities, municipalities, and all levels of government, the science behind wastewater monitoring, and how this program aligns with the principles of First Nations data sovereignty. 

Through insightful conversations, compelling stories, and thoughtful analysis, the Voices of Sovereignty podcast aims to shed light on the importance of First Nations Data Sovereignty and inspire collective action towards a future where First Nation peoples have full control over their data, their narratives, and their destiny.

In this first episode, we will be speaking to Carmen Jones from Chiefs of Ontario (COO) and Mariette Sutherland from the Ontario First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC) about how their work upholds the principles of data sovereignty and can lead to better health outcomes for First Nations communities.

In our last episode, we are joined by guest Heather to discuss another theme of our qualitative analysis - changes in safety-related concerns among trans and nonbinary people during the pandemic. Through this episode our guest describes the ways in which some trans and nonbinary people experienced heightened safety concerns in addition to those related to the pandemic.

Through this episode, our guest Shadi speaks about another theme of the qualitative data analysis - the way COVID strained social networks, made it challenging to connect to the trans community, and the impact of virtual communication had on relationships.

In this episode along with our guest Hazel, we focus on another theme we found in the Trans Pulse COVID qualitative paper. We discuss the heightened financial, employment, and housing precarity that some trans and nonbinary folks experienced during the pandemic and the way this impacted community members.

In this first episode, podcast host Leo Rutherford describes Trans Pulse Canada and its sub-study about COVID-19. He shares details of a thematic analysis of qualitative free-form responses from a national survey of trans and nonbinary people. In addition, the public health implications and key take-aways from the results of our study are described.