Equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is embedded in the foundation of our cluster, across cluster membership, cluster research, and the underlying research focus (social determinants of health, health equity and equity deserving populations). The CPRC includes members at a mix of career stages and lived experiences and seeks to be as balanced as possible across EDI principals. The steering committee is balanced on sex and, where possible, each pillar is led by a dyad consisting of an early/mid-career investigator in partnership with a more established investigator. The wider group includes many early career researchers to support mentorship and career progression. Graduate students also have an important role in cluster activities.
Health equity (and hence EDI) is a unifying element of our cross-cutting research. For example, The Healthy Cities, Built Environment, Environmental Equity pillar will focus on environmental and geospatial research that impacts under-represented communities. The Indigenous Health and Wellness pillar has a primary commitment to working collaboratively to support improved health and wellness of all Indigenous Peoples. This pillar is also supported by leaders in Indigenous health. Honouring existing collaborative research, we will use established collective Indigenous health governance model principles and protocols, and male-female, Two Spirit, LGBTQ+ balance, interdependence, and Western ethical research processes and engagement. Importantly, engaging Traditional Knowledge (healing, approaches, medicines) will improve Indigenous Peoples’ wellbeing, mental, physical, emotional, spiritual, in which ecological, and ceremonial practices renew one’s Indigenous identity and support a sense of belonging and connectedness to community. Traditional Knowledge will be engaged using Indigenous Methodologies and Two-Eyed Seeing approaches that incorporate both Traditional and Western perspectives for respectful, community-led, and responsive research. Indigenous Methods prioritize Indigenous Knowledge from a critical approach that challenges power relations and systemic oppression within dominant society through ethical power-balanced relationships. Indigenous-led reciprocal long-term relationships ensure mutual benefits and community ownership of knowledge and outcomes of research.