Surveying by One of Canada’s Self-Governing Indigenous Governments: Sampling Lessons Learned from the Nisga’a Lisims Government

• Activity Number: 475 - Recent Advances in Sample and Survey Design
• Type: Contributed
• Date/Time: Thursday, August 6, 2020 : 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
• Sponsor: Survey Research Methods Section
• Author(s): Adam Perry* and Michelle Vanchu-Orosco and Hannes Edinger and Shannon West-Johnson
• Companies: Nisga’a Lisims Government and Independent Consultant and Big River Analytics and Nisga’a Lisims Government
• Keywords: Sampling; Self-governing Indigenous Government (SGIG); Nisga’a Lisims Government (NLG); Hybrid; Response rate

Abstract

This research examines the varied approaches to survey design and methods for one Self-governing Indigenous Government(SGIG), Nisga’a Lisims Government (NLG), and focuses on adaptations to more traditional, mainstream sampling methods. This case study highlights the hybrid sampling method used to collect data. The hybrid sampling method features the combined use of convenience and random sampling to collect information for Nisga’a citizens living in urban locales (off Nisga’a Lands) and a census of those living in Nisga’a communities. Response rates for the aggregate urban locales were 18%, with 55% for the aggregate communities. Overall, 31% of the population responded to the Nisga’a Nation Household Survey (NNHS) questionnaire developed by NLG in conjunction with a Nisga’a working group. Further, this case study documents both positive opportunities and other unintended consequences arising from the researchers' efforts to collect information from as many members of the Nisga’a Nation as possible. In years forward, NLG aspires that these sampling methods are useful for longitudinal data collection, and possibly, as a 'template' for other self-governing Indigenous Nations.