(January 19, 2021) The Indigenous Screen Office (ISO) will undertake a community engagement process in 2021 regarding Indigenous identity that will inform future policy directions. The process will begin over the next two months beginning with conversations with Elders and Indigenous organizations with knowledge and expertise in this area and will extend into the summer with broader consultations.
This is a nuanced issue that requires time to listen to the many different community perspectives. The ISO has a number of mechanisms already in place to vet Indigenous identity and we have always understood that this is an evolving process that will require continued dialogue with community members and more robust policy development as our organization grows. We accept our responsibility in taking a leadership role for the sector on this important issue through this process. We will work with Indigenous facilitators and consultants on the engagement and reporting, which will inform future ISO policies and advocacy.
Our goal is to have a set of new policies in place before our next anticipated round of funding in Fall 2021. In order to ensure the integrity of the consultation process, we will not take a position on what those policies may be until we have completed our engagement. We will continue to work with our partners and communities to share our current practices and we continue to stand by the statement issued on this subject in December. https://iso-bea.ca/iso-statement-regarding-indigenous-identity/
