DECOLONIZING FREEDOM OF INFORMATION RESEARCH

WHAT IS KNOWLEDGE OR WHAT IS TRUTH?

Abstract

The relationship between Canadian state agencies and First
Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples has long been one of control,
domination, and exploitation. Research on this relationship can
contribute to decolonization by revealing how Canada exercises
state colonial power, and conversely, how such power has been
resisted. One tool that has been used in this type of research is
Freedom of Information (FOI) and Access to Information (ATI)
requests. FOI and ATI requests are used to obtain government
information and records and are increasingly used in social science
research. The ability for FOI researchers to make requests
strengthens the credibility of their work while serving as an
exercise in empowerment by accessing information otherwise
guarded by institutions. We sought to answer two questions:
(1) How can FOI/ATI requests be used to decolonize research,
and (2) What does it mean for ethics and critical research to
view FOI/ATI requests in this way, particularly for settler researchers?
Both questions were answered by examining existing
literature that used FOI/ATI requests in their research on
Canadian state agencies that govern First Nations, Inuit, and
Métis peoples.