Gavin Douglas: A (limited) defence of traditional Indigenous knowledge in public policy – The Hub

April 3, 2024

Canada should strive for objectivity when integrating traditional Indigenous knowledge and conventional science

A federal parliamentary committee is currently investigating how to integrate Indigenous traditional knowledge, defined as “the knowledge, innovations, and practices of [I]ndigenous peoples,” into the government’s policy development process. One recurrent question in its hearings has been how this traditional knowledge and conventional Western science are related. Although this is an important and interesting question, there’s been a striking lack of critical inquiry regarding this issue.

This was particularly true when the committee’s discussion turned to the mechanisms underlying traditional and scientific knowledge systems. Many Canadian institutions currently distinguish these systems, often with the phrasing that they represent different “ways of knowing.”1

But what happens when traditional knowledge conflicts with scientific consensus? How do we reconcile these differences despite the controversy that can arise? Is resolving such conflicts even necessary?