Federal scientists should “free themselves from the colonial legacy” and conduct research in partnership with Indigenous communities, according to a Natural Resources Canada report. 

According to Blacklock's Reporter, the 2025 report, Decolonizing Science One Experiment At A Time, says researchers must acknowledge the “devastating effects of colonialism” and recognize Indigenous knowledge.

“Ideally, the decolonization of research implies full Indigenous ownership of research,” it said, while acknowledging that goal remains difficult. At minimum, research should be conducted in partnership with Indigenous people.

A separate departmental audit admitted employees remain unclear about what reconciliation means in practice.

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Natural Resources Canada has required every employee to complete eight hours of “self-directed Indigenous learning” annually since 2022. However, the department has no mechanism to determine how many employees complied.

Officials also questioned whether counting training hours proves employees learned anything.

The department is pushing reconciliation into federal scientific research while remaining unable to clearly define its objectives or track compliance with its own mandatory training.