The success of the RHS and FNREEES in Nova Scotia can be attributed to the hard work of all of its contributing members. This includes, but is not limited to, the Regional Staff, Fieldworkers, Committees, the FNIGC National Office and our Regional Members.
Governance Manager
Robin Thompson (she/her) is Cree Métis from Treaty 1 Territory and a member of the Manitoba Métis Federation. Robin holds a business diploma, an Advanced major in Social and Criminal Justice from St. Francis Xavier University and a Juris Doctor from the Schulich School of law. She is a practicing member of the Nova Scotia Barrister Society. In 2015 she was one of the ten participants chosen world-wide for the Indigenous Fellow Progamme with the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights in Geneva Switzerland. Robin has 20 years of senior management experience developing governance capacity within Indigenous communities and is a strong advocate for First Nation self-determination. Robin also serves on the non profit board of the Centre for First Nations Governance and is a Human Rights Commissioner for the province of Nova Scotia.
Special Projects Coordinator
Muin Ji'j [moo-in jeech] (he/they) is Mi'kmaw and a member of the Eskasoni First Nation in Unama’ki (Cape Breton, Nova Scotia). He is the Special Projects Coordinator for the Information Governance & Data Projects (IGDP) department at the Union of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq. In his role, Muin Ji’j coordinates various special data-related projects in the Atlantic Region and supports the IGDP department's financial functions. Muin Ji'j is a Saint Mary's University doctoral student in the Executive Doctorate of Business Administration program. In addition, he graduated from the Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Business Administration program at Cape Breton University, and a Certificate in Leading People and Investing to Build Sustainable Communities from Harvard Business School. Muin Ji'j is well-rounded in various aspects of business and management.
Data Analyst
Sean (he/him) is Mi’kmaw and a member of the Sipekne’katik First Nation. Sean is the Data Analyst for the Information Governance & Data Projects department at the Union of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq. Sean is responsible for the data cleaning and analysis of the First Nations on-reserve regional data sets, reports and publications including the First Nations Regional Health Survey (FNRHS), First Nations Regional Labor and Employment Survey (FNLEDS), First Nations Regional Social Survey (FNRSS).
Projects Coordinator
Shenayah [shen-aye-yuh] (she/her) is Mi’kmaw and a member of Eskasoni First Nation in Unama’ki (Cape Breton, Nova Scotia). Shenayah is the Projects Coordinator for the Information Governance and Data Projects department at the Union of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq. In her role, Shenayah assists the governance manager in preparation, deployment, monitoring and dissemination related to the surveys as administered by the Information Governance and Data Projects (IGDP) team.
Outreach Coordinator
Camryn (she/her) is Mi’kmaw and a member of Eskasoni First Nation in Unama’ki (Cape Breton, Nova Scotia), with familial roots in Elsipogtog First Nation, NB. Camryn is the Outreach Coordinator for the Information Governance and Data Projects department at the Union of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq. Her previous work experiences have given her a profound passion for Community and Leadership. Exploring her past work, she has seen community development on an international and national scale. Camryn has enjoyed community involvement in the past. Her drive for youth advocacy strongly impacts her beliefs.
Camryn’s future goal is to bring the Mi’kmaw teachings to our youth today.
Policy Analyst
Melissa (she/her) is an Inuk from Labrador and a Nunatsiavut Beneficiary member.
Melissa holds an undergraduate degree in Psychology from Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, as well as a Post-Graduate Certificate in Human Resources Management from the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Quality Management from the Marine Institute in St. John’s. She has been practicing in the field of Human Resources for the last 11 years in Construction, Mining, Indigenous Government, Military Operations Support and Aviation operating in various capacities ranging from roles as an HR Specialist, HR Manager to more recently HR Business Partner. She carries with her a deep understanding of the multiple and complex needs faced by Indigenous people and the advocacy work that is required to support those needs. Melissa is currently the Policy Analyst for the Union of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq and is driven by ensuring the Mi’kmaq people of Nova Scotia continues to have a right to own and govern their collective data and knowledge gifts as a self-determined, self-governing First Nations.
Administrative Assistant
Kayla (she/her) is Mi’kmaw and a member of Membertou First Nation in Unama’ki (Cape Breton, Nova Scotia). Kayla serves as the Administrative Assistant for the IGDP team. Kayla brings a strong background in administrative support and organizational skills, honed through her academic experiences at Saint Mary's University and Nova Scotia Community College in the criminology program, and previous work experiences.
The Union of Nova Scotia Mi'kmaq makes every effort to hire knowledgeable and ambitious fieldworks from the communities that are being surveyed. By hiring community members we give the survey a familiar face. People selected to participate in our surveys will be more inclined to invite a fieldworker into their home if they know them personally. It adds an element of familiarity. We are proud to boast an average survey completion rate over 90% and we are equally as proud of the efforts of our fieldworkers.
The Mi'kmaq Health Research Group was formed in early 1996 by the Union of Nova Scotia Mi'kmaq, the Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq and Dalhousie University by way of Memorandum of Understanding. Its purpose was to oversee Mi'kmaw health research in Nova Scotia and establish a forum in which collaboration for the mutual benefit of those involved can occur.
The MHRG is currently being restructured to expand beyond health research. The restructuring was necessary to ensure that all research initiatives (social science & biomedical, etc.,) that involve the partnerships and participation of Mi'kmaw individuals and communities fall under its new mandate. The future Mi'kmaw Research Group (MRG) will be comprised of Indigenous faculty members at Dalhousie University, the Mi'kmaw Ethics Watch, and Mi'kmaw representatives at the Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq and the Union of Nova Scotia Mi'kmaq. The MRG will serve to ensure research involving Mi'kmaw communities in Nova Scotia is conducted in compliance with Mi'kmaw interests, values and principles of information governance.
The Regional Health Survey Advisory Committee was formed in 1996 and is comprised of various community-level stakeholders who specialize in Indigeous health, policy, advocacy and research. Each of the five committee members are individually appointed to the committee by their respective community's Leadership. They represent various capacities that serve to support Mi'kmaw communities and promote the advancement of programs, services and policies that affect the Mi’kmaw in Nova Scotia. The committee members guide the activities of the NSRHS and advise the IGDP team through the analyses and interpretation of the survey data. The NSRHSAC is guided by the principles of Ownership, Control, Access and Possession (OCAP) and the First Nations Information Governance “Code of Research Ethics.”
The First Nations Early Childhood, Education & Employment Survey Advisory Committee was formed in 2012 to provide guidance and oversight to the regional project. The committee members were individually appointed by their respective community's Leadership and served until the survey cycle ended in 2017. The work of the committee included activities such as the identification of early childhood, education and employment priorities of the Mi'kmaw and the development of the national and regional specific survey instruments, advise the IGDP team through the analyses and interpretation of the survey data and the development of the regional FNREEES report. The FNREEES Advisory Committee was guided by the committee's terms of reference; the principles of Ownership, Control, Access and Possession (OCAP); and, the First Nations Information Governance "Code of Research Ethics".
The First Nations Labour & Employment Development Survey Advisory Committee was formed in 2017 and is comprised of various experts in the field of Mi'kmaw labour and employment. The committee members were identified as Indigenous content experts and have been endorsed by and accountable to The Assembly of Nova Scotia Chiefs and the Mi'kmaw organizations they represent. The FNLEDS committee members serve to identify the labour and employment priorites and challenges of the participant communitites, and to co-develop the FNLEDS survey questionnaire with the nine other regions across Canada and their respective FNLEDS advisory bodies. Until 2021 this advisory body will oversee the project implementation and guide the analyses and interpretation of the FNLEDS data.
The First Nations Information Governance Centre (FNIGC) has the mandate to oversee research and information management on behalf of all First Nations. The Centre reports to the Assembly of the First Nations Chiefs in Assembly on an annual basis. FNIGC is responsible for the implementation of the survey in collaboration with its regional member organizations following FNIGC established policies and procedures.
The FNIGC National team helps to coordinate RHS, FNREEES and FNLEDS activities at the national level. They serve as data stewards for the national RHS, FNREEES and FNLEDS databases, maintain partnerships with various federal and First Nation organizations, and prepare RHS, FNREEES and FNLEDS related research materials. The First Nation Information Governance Centre is mandated to report on national-level statistics.
The UNSM is the data steward for the RHS and FNREEES datasets. We execute RHS, FNREEES and FNLEDS activities in our participating communities. This includes First Nations communities in Nova Scotia, PEI, Newfoundland and Tobique First Nation in New Brunswick (for the FNREEES).
Below you we have provided links to the websites of our partner organizations.
Nova Scotia
New Brunswick
Newfoundland
Prince Edward Island
