No research project is done in isolation, so it was important to see all the key stakeholders and the roles they might play when addressing the research questions. Stringer (1999) clearly explained the job of the researcher when he said, “Research facilitators, in particular, will need to construct systematically a picture of the situation in which they are working to locate the individuals and groups with whom they will work”
(p. 44). To begin putting the picture together, it was necessary to see where the project sponsor, NILA, was placed in relationship to all other key players.
Similar to any non-profit organization in Canada, NILA has a mandate and mission that responds to the policies and responsibilities of the Canadian Government. To see the organizational systems that impacted on this project, you can look at the root of the processes for public spending in Canada.
There is an intricate relationship between NILA and Federal Departments that fund social policy organizations and programs. The Government of Canada has issued many statements and policies in support of Aboriginal self-governance, and subsequently NILA has been able to apply for funding to support their issues. This type of support can be seen in the Auditor General of Canada’s report from 2000. Chapter four of that report included the quote: “The Department, with the active engagement and participation of all partners, is committed to securing meaningful and ongoing improvements in First Nations education”
(sec. 4.99, ¶ 5). It is important to note that, at the time of this project, there was uncertainty about Aboriginal programming with a newly elected government. It was not yet clear where the Conservative Party policies and funding would impact NILA and other stakeholders in this research project. NILA’s ongoing sustainability has become a great basic need for their organization. I hope this project will positively impact their ability to establish mainstay credibility with the new government and receive the core funding they desperately deserve.