National Indigenous Advisory Circle

Luminary is the name of an initiative developed by Indigenous Works in 2019/20 to advance a 10-year strategy for Indigenous innovation as a catalyst for economic transformation, employment, and wellbeing.  In 2020, just over 150 Luminary Charter Partners (LCP’s) signed onto a planning initiative to affirm the issues and secure their commitment to participate in co-creating a strategy to address barriers, build new systems and re-design the Indigenous research and innovation ecosystem. The Luminary Strategy was completed in 2021, and a number of innovative initiatives were undertaken from 2022-2024. In 2024, Luminary was awarded funding for five years to support and expand its strategy.

The 2024 Strategic Science Fund Award from Innovation, Science & Economic Development

In 2024, Luminary was awarded $4.0M for five years (2024-2029) from ISED’s new Strategic Science Fund, the only Indigenous initiative to be selected along with 23 other successful projects. Luminary is addressing the economic innovation and engagement gaps by supporting, facilitating and coordinating efforts among the academic community (including business schools, agriculture, engineering and others), the Indigenous business community, research agencies and NGOs to commercial innovation, Indigenous-led research collaborations and foster a new indigenous innovation eco-system that will transform economies, jobs and communities.

Supported by the Strategic Science Fund award, Luminary is inviting partners from foundations, private sector and the academic community to support a number of transformative programs and projects that blend traditional and Western knowledge to address national and global challenges with a new Indigenous research and innovation strategy.  To guide Luminary’s future, two advisory bodies have been created: The National Indigenous Innovation Advisory Circle (NIIAC) and the Luminary International Indigenous Innovation Advisory Council. 

Terms of Reference Articles

1. Purpose of the Luminary National Indigenous Innovation Advisory Circle 

To provide strategic guidance and culturally grounded perspectives to advance Luminary’s Indigenous Innovation agenda and the objectives in the Luminary SSF project.  The Advisory Circle will support the development of inclusive, sustainable, and community-led innovation models and practices to advance the Indigenous innovation ecosystem with the Academic Community, Business Schools and the Indigenous Business community.

Moreover, you the Advisory Circle will support Luminary’s vision is to advance a new Indigenous economic innovation ecosystem to transform economies, employment and wellbeing.  The Circle will guide our mission to convene, coordinate, and facilitate a network of academic researchers, business schools, Indigenous businesses, mainstream businesses and NGOs to foster and grow new knowledge networks, talent and research collaborations to increase economic innovation in Canada and abroad.

2. Guiding Indigenous Principles, Values and Teachings

1. Relationality: All innovation is situated within relationships — among people, the land, and the spiritual world — Innovation practices must recognize the land as a living system of knowledge.
2. Responsibility: Members are accountable to future generations and are stewards of cultural and ecological sustainability, knowledge and practices.
3. Reciprocity and Balance: Partnerships must reflect mutual benefit, equity, and ethical exchange.
4. Elders and Intergenerational Wisdom: The inclusion of Elders and youth ensures that knowledge is both inherited and renewed.
5. Wholism: We approach innovation and wellbeing through an integrated lens — spiritual, emotional, intellectual, and physical.
6. Story as Knowledge: Narratives, oral traditions, and lived experience are central to how we understand, evaluate, and shape innovation.
7. Consent and Self-Determination: Indigenous Peoples have the right to define, lead, and govern their innovation pathways.
8. Time as Cyclical: We acknowledge the cyclical nature of time — innovation must honor past, present, and future wisdom.

3. Member Roles

1. Ambassadors: Serve as ambassadors for Luminary’s Indigenous innovation priorities within national and global networks.
2. Engage Actively: Attend and meaningfully contribute to virtual meetings of the Advisory Circle.  Where feasible, meetings may be aligned with national conferences or Indigenous gatherings.
3. Contribute Thought Leadership: Participate in Luminary podcasts, webinars, and other knowledge mobilization efforts as speakers, interviewees, or contributors; Promote through personal and professional networks, speaking opportunities, academic forums, and social media; participate as co-authors, peer reviewers, or contributors to Luminary Knowledge Networks with think pieces, reports, and publications.
4. Advance Indigegogy and uphold Indigenous Values and Worldviews:  Embody and promote principles of reconciliation, two-eyed seeing, and Indigenous ways of knowing and doing.

4. Objectives of the National Advisory Circle

1. Champion Indigenous innovation as a critical pillar of Canada’s economic and social future.
2. Provide guidance on Luminary’s strategic direction to achieve its short, intermediate and long-term outcome including:
   1. Increased collaboration and partnerships among the academic community, business schools and Indigenous business community.
   1. Supporting and increasing interdisciplinary research, training and learning that is Indigenous informed and Indigenous-led.
   1. Advancing learning programs and events to increase the knowledge, skills, systems and, confidence among the academic and Indigenous business community
   1. Foster new partnerships, curriculum and research collaborations.
3. Identify and support relationships with strategic partners, funding agencies, Indigenous knowledge holders, and institutions; Offer insights on innovation trends, public policy developments, and leading practices relevant to Indigenous economies and communities.
4. Support Luminary proposals and initiatives to generate opportunities for academic and professional exchanges, including visiting students, scholars, and Indigenous practitioners.
5. Support Indigenous led and Indigenous informed institutional capacity building and programmatic models and practices.
6. Create sustainable models for the ongoing growth and development of Luminary’s Indigenous led institutional and programmatic approaches.
7. Encourage the participation of business schools in the Business School Indigenous Engagement Survey and Benchmarking Exercise.
8. Provide advice and promote the Annual Indigenous Innovation Summit.
9. National Indigenous Economic Strategy: 107 Calls to Prosperity: Provide advice on how to align Luminary’s Indigenous innovation agenda with NIES and the calls to action.

5. Meetings and Participation

• The Advisory Body will convene virtually twice per year, and where possible, will organize meetings in conjunction with other in-person gatherings.
• Members are encouraged to contribute to working groups, knowledge-sharing sessions, and planning.
• Additional informal engagement may occur through working groups, special sessions, conferences, or written input, as needed.
• Luminary will provide administrative and coordination support for LC meetings, including virtual logistics, minute-taking, and follow-up on action items.
• Decisions are reached by consensus, with input used to inform on Luminary’s strategy.

6. Membership

The Advisory Circle shall be composed of up to 18 members selected from the Luminary Academic Membership. 

One (1)           Elder – Knowledge Keeper

One (1)          Indigenous Business Research Student

Four (4)          Indigenous business leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs or representatives from Indigenous economic development organizations

One (1)           Indigenous Academic Representative from a University

One (1)           Indigenous Academic Representative from a College/Polytechnic

Two (2)          University President

Two (2)          College/Polytechnic President

One (1)           Chair, Business School Association of Canada

One (1)           Chair, Association of Canadian Schools of Business Deans

One (1)          Chair, Deans Agriculture Council of Canada

One (1)           Co-Chair, Indigenous Works Organization Board of Directors

One (1)           Luminary Chief Transformation Officer

One (1)           Luminary Chief Program Officer

Membership will reflect a balance of experience, regional representation, and sectoral diversity. Academic appointees will be members of good standing in Luminary’s Academic Membership program.

7. Confidentiality

• LC members may have access to confidential or proprietary information. Members are expected to maintain confidentiality as appropriate and in accordance with a confidentiality agreement, if applicable.

8. Review

• These Terms of Reference will be reviewed annually and updated as needed to reflect the
•  LC’s evolving mandate and global context.

9. Reporting and Impact

Recommendations from the Advisory Circle will inform on Luminary’s strategy, partnerships, and program strategies.  A summary of outcomes will be published in Luminary’s Annual Report.