OCAS is endorsed by the Manitoba Métis Federation as the framework for Métis data governance. While it shares a structural resemblance to the First Nations OCAP® principles, OCAS was developed specifically to reflect Métis governance, history, and priorities — it stands on its own, rather than as a Métis adaptation of OCAP®.
The Four Principles, in Plain Language
Ownership
Ownership refers to legal possession of data — establishing clearly that information about Métis people and communities belongs to those communities.
Control
Control is tied to decision-making authority across the entire lifecycle of the data: how it's collected, how it's stored, and what happens to it over time. That authority sits with Métis communities.
Access
Access centres on whether the use of data brings real benefit back to Métis people — not just who is permitted to view it, but whether it actually serves the community it comes from.
Stewardship
Stewardship means responsible, ongoing planning and management of data that centres Métis best interests — treating data handling as a continuing responsibility rather than a one-time transaction.
How the Indigenous CTN Pathway Applies OCAS
The Métis pathway within the Indigenous CTN Pathway Network has been built with these principles in mind. For Métis patients weighing whether to participate in a clinical trial, OCAS is our commitment to:
- Clear Métis ownership of the information patients and communities share with us
- Community-informed control over how that information is used
- Ensuring access to data serves Métis people's interests, not just administrative convenience
- Ongoing, responsible stewardship rather than a one-time consent checkbox
As this pathway grows, we're committed to reflecting OCAS in the actual design of how we communicate with, and hold information from, Métis patients and families — not only as a policy statement.
OCAS principles are endorsed by the Manitoba Métis Federation.