OISE faculty goes to Ottawa: Prof. Ansloos named delegate for federal policy summit

Professor Jeffrey Ansloos has been selected as a delegate for the 2024 Science Meets Parliament program, to be held in Ottawa on May 6 and 7.

Hosted by the Canadian Science Policy Centre in partnership with Canada’s Chief Science Advisor, Dr. Mona Nemer, the Science Meets Parliament Program aims to strengthen the connection between science and policy communities by providing an opportunity for researchers to learn about the inclusion of scientific evidence in policymaking.

Ansloos – an associate professor in OISE’s Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development and the Tier II Canada Research Chair in Critical Studies in Indigenous Health and Social Action on Suicide – will join current Banting Postdoctoral Fellows and Tier II Canada Research Chairs from the federal government’s three granting agencies.

We spoke with Dr. Ansloos to share his plans and intentions for the visit. 

What does it mean to have a chance to discuss your research in more detail with this audience?

I am grateful for the chance to learn and engage with scholars and policymakers from across Canada on how to lessen the gap between research evidence and policy development. This dialogue is crucial for ensuring that the knowledge generated through critical research more directly informs policy development affecting First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities. My focus is on demonstrating how integrated approaches to suicide prevention, especially those which include economic, social, and environmental considerations, can guide policies that resonate with the multifaceted realities of Indigenous peoples. By fostering a stronger connection between research findings and policy decisions, I aim to contribute to more effective policies that enhance health equity and have a real impact on Indigenous communities across Canada.

What kind of ideas do you want to profess and demonstrate while at the summit?

This program invites us to ask our elected officials and public servants a vital question: How significant is scientific evidence in shaping legislation and policy? My engagement with the delegation will focus on the crucial need to embed scientific insights from Indigenous research on mental health and suicide prevention into legislative and policymaking frameworks. I intend to underscore the complexity of prevention, championing a comprehensive strategy that not only encompasses health services but also integrates social and economic supports, infrastructure and environmental factors, and the strengthening of the Indigenous health workforce.

How do you want to discuss and demonstrate your approaches and methodologies? Why is community-based research so crucial to include in the context of Canadian research?

Sharing insights from community-based research is essential to ensure policy decisions mirror the lived realities, ambitions, and needs of communities. This is particularly critical for Indigenous communities, who have often faced negative impacts from policies formulated by those removed from their local context, leading to severe repercussions. Although these programs are not a universal solution, they represent important attempts to bring greater alignment to government and public services with community needs. Through encouraging collaboration, cultivating trust, and guaranteeing that research benefits those most impacted by the issues at hand, we significantly bolster the impact and pertinence of Indigenous research in Canada.