The purpose of Words First: An Evolving Terminology Relating to Aboriginal Peoples in Canada is to provide writers with background information and guidance on appropriate word usage and style issues. Words First is not a legal document.

This evolving terminology helps answer specific questions on language usage that writers may encounter. Sample sentences are given to assist in clarifying these questions.

• (PDF)
  
  
• Introduction
  
• Guidelines
  
• Organization of Words First
  • Collective names to describe the original peoples of North America and their descendants
    
  • More narrowly defined groups of Aboriginal people
    
  • Terms associated with communities and community organization
    
  • American usage
    
• Aboriginal people(s)
  
  • Aboriginal people
    
  • Aboriginal peoples
    
  • non- Aboriginal people
    
  • Aboriginal nations
    
• Aboriginal rights
  
• Aboriginal self-government
  
• Aboriginal title
  
• American Indian
  
• band
  
  • band council
    
• Bill C-31
  
• custom
  
• Eskimo
  
• First Nation(s)
  
  • First Nation
    
  • First Nations people
    
• First Peoples
  
• Indian
  
  • Status Indians
    
  • Non-Status Indians
    
  • Treaty Indian
    
• Indian Act
  
• Indian status
  
• indigenous/Indigenous
  
• Innu
  
• Inuvialuit
  
• Inuit
  
• "Inuk"
  
• Inuit communities
  
• Inuit regions
  
• land claims
  
• Métis
  
• Native
  
• Native American
  
• North vs. north
  
• Northerner(s) vs. northerner(s)
  
• Nunavut
  
• off-reserve
  
• oral history
  
• reservation
  
• reserve
  
  • on-reserve/off- reserve
    
• surrender
  
• tribal council
  
• tribe
  

Catalogue No.R2-236/2002E-IN
ISBN 0-662-33143-5