Indigenous Involvement in the Canadian Species at Risk Recovery Process

Many countries, including Canada, are beginning to recognize the vital roles of Indigenous Peoples in threatened species recovery. To determine whether official recognition is translating into actual involvement of Indigenous Peoples in species recovery planning, I examined recovery documents for species under the Canadian Species at Risk Act (SARA). I scored each document for the level of involvement with Indigenous Peoples. I analyzed the data using permutation-based ANOVAs and post hoc pairwise permutation tests to determine the impact of region, taxonomic group, and responsible agency on scores. Fifty two percent of documents suggested no Indigenous involvement, despite a legal requirement to consult. Documents for species in central Canada and Quebec indicated significantly lower levels of involvement than in other regions. Documents for less iconic taxonomic categories such as mosses indicated lower levels of involvement than for fish and mammals. These regional and taxonomic discrepancies may suggest priorities for immediate improvement.