Indigenous Digital Equity: Overcoming Digital Colonialism in Canada

The unresolved legacies of colonialism in Canada are being reshaped by digital transformation, directly impacting Indigenous participation in the innovation economy.

As Canada’s economy continues to shift toward the digital realm, Indigenous communities face both immense opportunities and significant challenges. The potential for Indigenous peoples to reclaim their role as innovators and leaders in this new economy is tempered by the threat of digital colonialism—a modern form of exploitation where data, much like land in the past, is extracted and commodified without proper consent or benefit to Indigenous communities

The Centre for Indigenous Innovation and Technology (CIIT) is a non-profit dedicated to empowering the next generation of Indigenous leaders in Canada’s technology and innovation sector. Through deep listening and ongoing learning, CIIT has identified four key domains that frame both the challenges and opportunities for Indigenous participation in the innovation economy. These themes guide our current understanding and approach as we strive to support meaningful engagement in Canada’s innovation economy.

Indigenous Innovation and the Economy: A Historical Perspective

Indigenous communities have long been leaders of innovation, creating sophisticated societies and governing structures that were already engaged in research, policymaking, and knowledge sharing. What is now understood as “data” was integral to Indigenous knowledge systems, gathered through years of observation and experience, and deeply contextualized within broader ecological and cultural frameworks rooted in stewardship of the land. This stewardship over data was grounded in relationality and ensured that it was not only preserved but also respected and applied in ways that upheld the integrity of their traditions, values, and the well-being of future generations.

The arrival of colonialism severely disrupted these Indigenous methods and methodologies, including how knowledge was retained and transferred. Driven by an insatiable appetite for land and resources, colonial powers marginalized Indigenous knowledge systems, sidelining them in favour of Western practices. The policies of forced assimilation and land dispossession further eroded Indigenous communities’ capacity to participate in and influence the emerging economy. This marginalization had lasting impacts, stripping Indigenous communities of their economic sovereignty and disrupting the relational stewardship that had sustained their societies for generations.

The New Challenge: Digital Colonialism in the Digital Economy

Today, as we enter the digital age, a new form of colonialism is emerging—digital colonialism. In this modern iteration, data has become the new resource to be extracted and commodified, often without the consent or benefit of Indigenous communities. This mirrors the extractive practices of historical colonialism, where resources were seized and exploited. The rapid expansion of the digital economy presents both opportunities and risks for Indigenous communities. On the one hand, there is potential for greater participation in the tech sector; on the other, there is a significant threat of digital exploitation, where Indigenous knowledge and data are digitized, commodified, and used without appropriate safeguards.

Framing Contemporary Challenges: Four Key Domains

Through continuous dialogue and reflection, CIIT has identified four critical themes that currently shape our understanding of the challenges Indigenous communities face in the digital economy. These domains are not static; they represent our current comprehension and may evolve as our learning deepens.

1. Digital Infrastructure: Bridging the Digital Divide

Many Indigenous communities, particularly those in rural and remote areas, lack the necessary infrastructure, such as high-speed internet, to fully engage in the digital economy. Broadband internet access is 17% lower¹ in Indigenous communities, and subscription costs are significantly higher compared to the rest of Canada. This digital divide exacerbates existing inequalities, limiting opportunities for economic participation and innovation.

2. Digital Knowledge and Applications: Safeguarding Indigenous Data

Indigenous communities have a long history of being subjects of research resulting in the literature having limited perspectives and often stereotypical and damaging depictions due to it being written from a colonial perspective. These and other related issues led to the creation of the OCAP™ (Ownership, Control, Access, Possession) Principles which support Indigenous data sovereignty. In the age of artificial intelligence that seeks to utilized copious amount of data for learning, Indigenous data sovereignty is critical to ensuring that data related to Indigenous communities is collected, stored, and used in ways that respect their rights and values.

3. Digital Governance: Promoting Indigenous-Led Governance

The Indian Act of 1876 represents one of the foundational laws that paved the way for the loss of community-owned data, as the government created and controlled the Indian Registration System, defining who “Indians” are and what rights they are entitled to. This act clearly imposed on the self-determination of nation citizenship while positioning the government as the gatekeeper of that information. Achieving digital self-determination requires governance structures that reflect Indigenous values and priorities. These models are crucial for ensuring that Indigenous communities have control over their digital futures.

4. Digital Skills: Addressing Underrepresentation

A 2019 Brookfield Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship report called Who Are Canada’s Tech Workers? identified that Indigenous Peoples in tech occupations was only 2.2% (13,000) of the total workforce, relative to non-Indigenous identities at 5.2% (921,000). According to Statistics Canada, in 2016, 4.9% (1,673,785) of the Canadian population reported being Indigenous, meaning that in 2016, only 0.78% of the total Indigenous population was involved in tech occupations. The Brookfield report also identified that Indigenous tech workers were paid much less than non-Indigenous tech workers. The lack of Indigenous people in this area is a critical factor underpinning the challenges in the other three domains, as it limits participation in the digital economy. This underrepresentation is rooted in systemic barriers, including a lack of access to culturally relevant education and training

Relational Approaches to Impact

The Centre for Indigenous Innovation and Technology (CIIT) navigates the challenges of the digital economy through an approach deeply rooted in Indigenous relationality—a worldview that emphasizes the interconnectedness of all relationships. This relationality lens focuses on different levels of engagement through CIIT’s adaptive and responsive Pillars for Action, each aligned with a distinct aspect of relationality:

• Tech Skills Accelerator (A Focus on Learners): This relationality lens focuses on the individual, emphasizing personal empowerment through culturally relevant education and training. By equipping Indigenous learners with the digital skills needed to thrive in the tech sector, CIIT strengthens their personal connection to technology and enhances their role in the innovation economy.
• Collaborative Innovation Network (A Focus on Community): This relationality lens focuses on the community, recognizing that societal transformation requires collective effort and shared knowledge. By building a network of Indigenous tech leaders and innovators, CIIT fosters collaboration and the development of community-led technological solutions, reinforcing the collective power of Indigenous communities to innovate and lead.
• Research & Advocacy (A Focus on the Sector): This relationality lens focuses on the broader sector, advocating for systemic change that respects and integrates Indigenous perspectives. CIIT’s research and advocacy efforts promote Indigenous data sovereignty, inclusive digital governance, and the integration of Indigenous knowledge systems into the tech industry, ensuring that the sector evolves in a way that is equitable and aligned with Indigenous values.

Calls to Action: Mobilizing Change Through the Four Domains

• Digital Skills: Invest in and support the development of Indigenous-led tech education that is culturally relevant and empowers Indigenous communities to become leaders and innovators in the innovation economy. This includes creating mentorship programs, providing scholarships, and developing tech training initiatives that are designed, led, and implemented by Indigenous peoples, ensuring that all aspects reflect Indigenous perspectives and needs.
• Digital Infrastructure: Take immediate steps to bridge the digital divide by improving access to digital infrastructure in Indigenous communities. This could involve expanding high-speed internet access, providing laptops and computers to students in need, and establishing community tech hubs—all initiatives that must be led by Indigenous organizations or in close partnership with Indigenous leaders to ensure they meet the unique needs of the communities.
• Digital Knowledge & Applications: Establish and uphold Indigenous-led data sovereignty frameworks to protect Indigenous knowledge systems. Addressing concerns around intellectual property (IP) rights and the potential commercialization of Indigenous knowledge and technology is crucial. Indigenous communities must lead the way in determining how their knowledge is used, shared, and protected to ensure that it is respected and preserved according to their values.
• Digital Governance: Support Indigenous-led governance models that reflect Indigenous values and priorities, ensuring that Indigenous communities have control over their digital futures. This involves advocating for policies and frameworks that are created and guided by Indigenous leaders, ensuring that governance structures are truly representative and supportive of Indigenous self-determination in the digital realm.

The innovation economy holds immense potential, but its benefits will only be realized if it is inclusive and equitable. Indigenous communities must be empowered to participate fully, with their knowledge and data respected and protected. Indigenous-led organizations like CIIT are essential in guiding this transformation, ensuring that the innovation economy does not replicate the exploitation of the past but instead becomes a catalyst for Indigenous inclusion and innovation. The time to act is now. Together, we can ensure a future where Indigenous participation in the innovation economy is not only possible but thriving.

^{1. Antoine, Derek. (2020) “Digital Indigenous Politics: There’s More than One Political Show in Town” in Digital Politics in Canada: Promises and Realities, edited by Tamara A. Small & Harold J. Jansen. Toronto, Ontario, Canada; University of Toronto Press.}