Braiding Indigenous and Western knowledge – Canada
October 1, 2025
The Arctic as we know it is changing. The ice is melting, the borders are opening, the ocean sounds different. With these changes, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) will need to increase their presence in the area. Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) has already started extensive research in the Arctic area to support this with science and technology. But no one knows the Arctic better than the Indigenous communities who live there. Their knowledge is invaluable.
DRDC has a history of engaging with Indigenous communities through research projects. For example, DRDC’s Toronto Research Centre is researching Indigenous clothing, to inform the next-generation cold-weather gear, so CAF members stay warmer, move more freely, blend into the northern environments, and reduce cold-weather injuries during operations. There is also a project financed by the Canadian Safety and Security Program that is analyzing the safety of the water and the fish for consumption in the Arctic area. Indigenous knowledge is paramount, and DRDC knows that the best way to support CAF operations is collaboration between Western science and Indigenous knowledge.
