The Indigenous Citizenship Declaration Policy
Introduction
In alignment with the Indigenous Strategic Plan, the University of British Columbia (UBC) has mandated the development of an Indigenous Citizenship Declaration Policy. The intent of this policy is to establish a clear eligibility framework for opportunities such as awards and targeted programming at UBC designated for Indigenous people.
This initiative responds to critical and ongoing discussions amidst Indigenous students, faculty, and staff members at post-secondary institutions across Canada which have emphasized the need for institutions to uphold the right for Indigenous Nations to self-determine their own citizenship.
By embarking on this process, UBC acknowledges how this work will be foundational to the goals and values outlined by the Indigenous Strategic Plan and will serve a vital role in the ongoing commitments to Indigenous initiatives across both campuses.
Process Steps
To ensure that appropriate care is being given to the development of the Indigenous Citizenship Declaration Policy, the development process is expected to occur over the next two years.
An overview of the anticipated steps is shown below.
Engagement
Current domestic and international Indigenous students, faculty, and staff are invited to attend upcoming in-person and virtual engagement sessions at UBC’s Okanagan and Point Grey campuses.
Participation and input at these engagement sessions will determine the key insights, themes and recommendations needed for the development of the Indigenous Citizenship Declaration Policy. System-wide engagement will be undertaken to consider the unique contexts of both the campuses, as well as UBC’s relationships with the xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam) and Syilx Okanagan Nation peoples, and Indigenous communities more broadly.
It is integral for the engagement process to be taken with great care and respect as it requires nuanced discussions about the complex colonial impacts that Indigenous people have faced regarding citizenship and community connection. Indigenous facilitators will lead these engagement sessions.
In-Person Engagement Sessions:
UBC Okanagan
February 2026 sessions have concluded.
UBC Point Grey (Vancouver)
November 2025 and February 2026 sessions have concluded.
* If you are a member of the International Indigenous staff/faculty community and wish to focus your discussion on global Indigenous perspectives then please choose the session on Tues Feb 10 (1-3pm).
Virtual Sessions:
UBC Okanagan | Register here.
UBC Point Grey (Vancouver) | Register here.
| Mon Mar 16 | Tues Mar 17 | Wed Mar 18 | Thurs Mar 19 | |
| 10am – 11:30am | Point Grey Student Session | Point Grey Faculty Session | Okanagan Faculty Session | |
| 1pm – 2:30pm | Okanagan Faculty Session | Point Grey Staff Session | Okanagan Student Session | Okanagan Student Session |
| 3pm – 4:30pm | Point Grey Student Session |
Please register for an online session based on your current campus location. These will be group sessions and will be facilitated by members of First Peoples Group. A zoom link will be sent to you in advance of your session time.
Frequently Asked Questions
About the Engagement Sessions
1. Who is invited to participate?
Participation is open to current Indigenous students, faculty, and staff from UBC’s Okanagan and Point Grey campuses.
2. I’m a non-Indigenous student, faculty, or staff member. How can I support this process?
At this time, education and awareness is an effective way to demonstrate your support as an ally to Indigenous led initiatives. The APTN has provided a helpful overview of “How to be an Effective Ally to Indigenous Communities” which you can read here. Additional resources to provide context to this Indigenous Citizenship Declaration Policy initiatives are located at the bottom of this page.
3. Who will facilitate the engagement sessions?
In-person, virtual, and drop-in engagement sessions will be guided by Indigenous facilitators to support a culturally safe environment for generative discussions.
4. What if I cannot attend an engagement session?
An online survey will be available to submit feedback. Additionally, drop-in sessions will be available if you cannot attend an engagement session. Information about these forms of engagement will be provided on the Indigenous Strategic Plan (ISP) website soon.
5. Will the engagement session consist of a mix of students, staff, and faculty?
No. Sessions will designate specific session times for each demographic.
6. I’m an Indigenous student and staff member. Do I attend more than one session?
No. We encourage individuals to self-assess which session makes the most sense to attend. Please consider what type of feedback you can provide as well as your future trajectory with UBC.
For example, if you’re a full-time staff member at UBC in a graduate program, you will likely want to attend the staff session. If you’re a full-time undergraduate student in a Work Learn position, you will want to attend the student session.
7. What will happen at the sessions?
Each session will consist of guided discussion questions, and facilitated dialogue. First Peoples Group will take notes to collect feedback during each session.
8. I’m Indigenous but I’m not from Canada and am technically considered international. Am I permitted to participate?
Yes. Indigenous people who are considered international are invited to participate in the engagement process.
9. What form of privacy and confidentiality can I expect based on my participation in these engagement activities?
Feedback collected from the engagement activities will be non-identifying. Notes and reports will state whether feedback was provided by a student, faculty, or staff member but it will not specify the names of individuals.
Facilitators will work to ensure there is cultural safety in the room and will provide guidance during the sessions about how to work together.
10. Can I attend more than one in-person or virtual engagement session?
No. Students, faculty, or staff may register for only one engagement session.
11. Can I attend an in-person or virtual engagement session and fill out the online survey?
Yes. If you have additional feedback to provide, following your participation at an engagement session, then you are welcome to submit an online survey.
12. What kind of support will be available during the session?
If a participant is finding a particular topic challenging then they can step out of the session at any time and return to participate when they feel ready to do so. Additionally, a list of wellness resources will be provided to all participants. Certain sessions will note specific supports participants can rely on during the session.
Communication and Updates
1. Where can I find session dates?
A full schedule of engagement sessions will be posted on the Indigenous Strategic Plan (ISP) website. Further information regarding the sessions will be shared through OISI communications and Indigenous-based campus channels.
2. Where can I learn about updates regarding the Indigenous Citizenship Declaration Policy process?
OISI will provide updates through the Indigenous Strategic Plan (ISP) website, newsletters, and campus announcements. Following the engagement phase, public summary reports will be shared on the ISP website.
About the Policy Development
1. How will the policy be developed?
The feedback from the engagement phase will be used to inform key insights, recommendations, and themes towards the development of the policy. A policy development committee in accordance with UBC’s Regulatory Framework Policy (GA2) will be formed to support the writing of the draft policy. The draft policy will be shared with Indigenous students, faculty, and staff for feedback and refinement before being finalized and submitted to UBC’s Senate and/or Board for approval.
2. Who is coordinating the policy development process?
The UBC President has appointed Dr. Gage Averill – Provost and VP Academic (Vancouver), Dr. Lesley Cormack – Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal, UBC Okanagan and Adam Charania – VP Human Resources as Executive project sponsors. The community engagement process will be jointly led and stewarded by the Co-Chairs of the Indigenous Strategic Plan Executive Advisory Committee (ISPEAC) and the Office of Indigenous Strategic Initiatives (OISI).
3. Is the policy already written and/or finalized?
No. The policy development process requires input from students, faculty, and staff through various engagement initiatives. The policy will be drafted once the engagement phase is complete.
4. Why has UBC mandated the development of an Indigenous Citizenship Declaration policy?
The mandate to create a policy responds to critical and ongoing discussions amidst Indigenous students, faculty, or staff members at post-secondary institutions across Canada which have emphasized the need for institutions to recognize the inherent right of Indigenous nations to self-determine their citizenship. This has become a crucial initiative at many post-secondary institutions because of concerns regarding Indigenous identity fraud.
Shifting from an Indigenous self-identification process to an Indigenous Citizenship Declaration Policy helps establish a clear framework for designating opportunities at UBC for Indigenous people.
5. How are the Host nations involved in this process?
The following committee and council will be consulted with for additional recommendations towards the creation of the policy:
- The ISP Executive Advisory Committee Co-chairs sought permission and advice from their respective host nation liaisons, as well as Indigenous Community Partners (UBCO) and President’s Advisory Committee (PAC) early in the development of the project. They will continue to be involved in an advisory capacity as the project proceeds.
6. When will the policy be completed and approved?
To ensure that appropriate attention and care is designated to the development of the Indigenous Citizenship Declaration Policy, the process is expected to occur over the next two-years and will be brought to the Senates and Board for their approval.
7. What happens after the policy is approved?
Information regarding future implementation will occur after the policy is drafted so that units can prepare for change management once the policy is approved. Updates regarding this will be posted to the Indigenous Strategic Plan (ISP) website at a later date.
8. Am I at risk of having an Indigenous award or opportunity revoked because of the new policy?
The policy requires in-depth engagement with students, faculty, and staff and will take two years to be finalized. The policy will not be retroactive; therefore, it will not impact past award recipients. Once the policy is finalized and integrated into UBC’s services and initiatives, students, faculty, and staff must meet the criteria of the Indigenous Citizenship Declaration policy to be eligible for awards and/or opportunities at UBC.
9. How will the “Indigenous Citizenship Declaration Policy” at UBC be enforced?
The current focus of this process is engagement with Indigenous students, faculty, and staff as this will inform key insights for the creation of the policy. Once the policy is approved, there will be more information provided as to how this will impact various units across campus.
Resources
Reports and Plans:
- ‘GII-IKIDONAANIWAN’ ‘IT HAS BEEN SAID’: Queen’s University Indigenous Identity Project
Report produced by Queen’s University and First People’s Group - Implementation plan for the deybwewin | taapwaywin | tapwewin: Indigenous Truth Policy
Plan created by University of Saskatchewan
- Indigenous Identity Substantiation Policies
Report created by Canadian Association of University Teachers - Moving Beyond Indigenous Self-Identification at Canadian Post-Secondaries: Summary Report of 2023 National Indigenous Citizenship Forum
Report created by First Nations University of Canada & NIULSA
- Pretendians and Publications: The Problem and Solutions to Redface Research
Report created by Yellowhead Institute
- Recommendations to Address Red-Faced Research
Report created by Yellowhead Institute - Understanding Our Roots – Nestimuk tan wtapeksikw
Report created by Dalhousie University - What We Heard: A Report from the Three Federal Research Funding Agencies’ Ad Hoc Working Group on Indigenous Citizenship and Membership
Report created by CIHR, NSERC, and SSHRC
Academic Articles:
- A narrative approach exploring the phenomenon of pretendians in the contemporary university
Article by Steven A Stolz and Maurizio Toscano
- Indigenous Identity Appropriation in Aotearoa New Zealand: The White Academics Who Claim to Be Indigenous Māori and the Māori Who Claim to Be Indigenous Whites
Article by Dr. Deane Galbraith - Proximity, Family Lore, and False Claims to an Algonquin Identity
Article by Darryl Leroux
Recorded Lectures:
- Audra Simpson Lecture: “Occupying Selves” or “How to be an Indian via Uncitable Pain”
Co-presented with the Institute for Critical Indigenous Studies. Co-sponsored by the Centre for Climate Justice and the Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality & Social Justice
Additional Resources:
- Going Beyond Self-Identification in recruiting Indigenous faculty
Article by Sharon Oosthoek - How to be an Effective Ally to Indigenous Communities
Guidelines created by APTN - Indigenous Citizenship and Civil Society: An Intervention
Article by Dr. Val Napoleon - National Indigenous Identity Forum Reading List
Reading list produced by First Nations University of Canada - The Fix for Pretendianism in Academia Requires Indigenous Involvement
Article by Dr. Chris Anderson - Universities can’t indigenize from inside
Article by Kurtis Boyer
Upcoming Seminars/Events:
Webinar:
Dr. Kim TallBear: “Indigenous Self-identification and Beyond: History, Cases, Policy Change”
Date: Wednesday, December 10 (1pm – 2pm)
Format: Virtual Seminar | Registration has now closed.
Event Overview:
Join us on Wednesday December 10th for a webinar with Dr. Kim TallBear. Introduction by Indigenous Citizenship Executive Lead: by Dr. Lesley Cormack, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus.
- Introduction
- Lecture
- Q&A
Hosted by: The co-chairs of the Indigenous Strategic Plan Executive Advisory Committee and the Office of Indigenous Strategic Initiatives
Kim TallBear Biography:
Dr. Kim TallBear (she/her) is a citizen of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate, a Dakota nation in present-day South Dakota. She is a Professor in the Department of American Indian Studies, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities campus. She earned a B.A. in Community Planning at the University of Massachusetts-Boston and a Master’s in City Planning (environmental policy and planning) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She earned her PhD in History of Consciousness at University of California, Santa Cruz. She is the author of Native American DNA: Tribal Belonging and the False Promise of Genetic Science. Dr. TallBear is the co-founder of the Summer internship for INdigenous peoples in Genomics (SING) Canada. She has advised the President of the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) on issues related to genomics and Indigenous peoples. She has also advised museums on exhibits related to race and science.
In addition to studying genome science disruptions to Indigenous governance and to Indigenous self-definitions, Dr. TallBear studies colonial disruptions to Indigenous sexualities. She is a regular panelist on the weekly Indigenous current affairs podcast, Media Indigena. She is also a regular media commentator in outlets such as CBC, CNN, The Washington Post, The New Yorker, the LA Times, APTN, and the BBC on topics pertaining to Indigenous peoples, science, and technology; on the politics of self-indigenization; and on Indigenous sexualities. She is a former Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation (PETF) Fellow (2018-2021).
You can follow her on Bluesky @kimtallbear.bsky.social and read her occasional posts on her Substack newsletter, Unsettle: Indigenous affairs, cultural politics & (de)colonization.
Stay in Touch
If you have questions that are not answered by the information on this page, please email us.
We honour, celebrate and thank the xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam) and Syilx Okanagan peoples on whose territories the main campuses of the University of British Columbia have the privilege to be situated.