Indigenous Data Sovereignty with Rylee Restoule

In November 2025, the Anishinabek Nation Chiefs in Assembly resolved to move forward with a relationship agreement between the Anishinabek Nation and the Health Sciences North Research Institute. The partners plan to develop research protocols in collaboration with our interested member First Nations.

Research protocols are tools that First Nations can use to assert their own data sovereignty and ensure that research in their communities respects Indigenous methods, and is aligned with their goals.

To learn more about Indigenous data sovereignty, I spoke with Rylee Restoule, the Coordinator of Indigenous Health Research at the Health Sciences North Research Institute. We talked about why it’s so important for First Nations to have a say in research and create their own data governance plans, as well as how Rylee’s connection to her Anishinaabe community, culture and language helps her to advocate for research that is strengths-based and respects our worldviews.

This podcast is produced by the Communications Department at the Anishinabek Nation.

Transcript: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/hithbkean9s7kjvr/2026-01-09_Rylee_Restoule_Bemaadizijig_Ganoonindwaa.pdf

Music: Minou-Pimatisiwin by Nigel Irwin and Chippewa Travellers, and A Very Warm Welcome by Justin Delorme, provided by Nagamo Publishing.

Guest Bio: 

Rylee Restoule is a PhD student, researcher, advocate, and youth representative from Dokis First Nation. She is Francophone living in rural Northern Ontario. She has been crowned Miss Kikendaad 2025-2026. She works as the Health Sciences North Foundation (HSNF) Clinical Research Coordinator of Indigenous Health at Health Sciences North Research Institute (HSNRI). Rylee is an Anishinaabemowin learner, and student of the 2025-2026 Biidwewdamowaad Nimkiig Biidaabang cohort with Ninaatigoons Learning.  Her PhD research at the University of Saskatchewan is about “Informing health policy with the teachings of the tikanaagan to improve perinatal care and birthing practices for First Nations families in Northern Ontario.”  Rylee is passionate about research-backed health policy and encouraging youth to feel empowered within their culture!

Links and Resources:  Health Sciences North Research Institute https://hsnsudbury.ca/en/Research

The First Nations Principles of OCAP https://fnigc.ca/ocap-training/

Indigenous Data Sovereignty and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People https://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/publish/research-data-management/indigenous-data-sovereignty

Tri-Council Policy Statement on Ethical Conduct for Research Involving Humans (TCPS-2) https://ethics.gc.ca/eng/policy-politique_tcps2-eptc2_2022.html

Manitoulin Anishinaabek Research Review Committee https://nthc.ca/programs-services/projects-research/research-ethics/

Wajashk Creations  https://www.instagram.com/wajashkcreations/