The information gathered in the Aboriginal Peoples chapter is derived from
several sources and can refer to different Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal
populations. Much of the existing data on Aboriginal people in Canada consists
of program data on Status Indians from Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, the
2001 Census population data, and the 2001 Aboriginal Peoples Survey data from
Statistics Canada.
The 2001 Census conducted by Statistics Canada provides data that are based
on the definitions of ethnic origin (ancestry), Aboriginal identity, Registered
Indian, and Band membership. Since the 1996 Census, there have been two
different sets of data available on Aboriginals-one covering the
"Aboriginal ancestry" of the population and the other covering the
"Aboriginal identity" of the population. Before 1996, the
identification of Aboriginal persons was derived from a question on ancestry,
though in 1996, a new question on Aboriginal identity was added to the census.
Statistics Canada stipulates that Aboriginal identity data should not be
compared with Aboriginal ancestry (ethnic origin) data.
Historically, there have been some challenges in counting Aboriginal people
via the Census of Canada; some caution must therefore be used in comparing
census data over time. Given the limitations of the available data, the
following indicators do not attempt to depict a complete portrait of the
situation of Aboriginal people in Canada; rather, selected data are presented
for particular indicators and populations to illustrate the larger situation and
context and to highlight some key issues.
Measure: The number of years a person would be expected to
live, on the basis of the mortality statistics for a given observation period.
Note: Although life expectancy is a measure of longevity and
not quality of life, it is widely used as an indicator of the health status of
the population.
Data limitations: Because of the challenge in collecting
data from all Aboriginal groups across Canada, this measure can track life
expectancy on First Nations on-reserve only.
Data source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Vital Statistics
Births and Deaths Database
Measure: The number of deaths of children under one year of
age expressed per 1,000 live births.
Data limitations: Because of the challenge in collecting
data from all Aboriginal groups across Canada, this measure can track life
expectancy on First Nations on-reserve only.
It should also be noted that this rate may be underestimated because of
challenges in complete ascertainment of First Nations status for the purposes of
vital statistics.
Data source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census
Measures: Educational attainment measures an individual's
highest level of completed schooling and is sometimes used as a proxy measure of
human capital. OECD has defined human capital as the knowledge, skills,
competencies, and attributes embodied in individuals that facilitate the
creation of personal, social, and economic well-being. Levels of education
derived from the census and the Labour Force Survey are as follows:
- Less than high school: persons who did not graduate from high school;
- High school: high school graduates with no further education or with some
post-secondary education but with no degree, certificate, or diploma;
- Trade vocational: persons with a trade certificate or diploma from
vocational or apprenticeship training;
- College: persons with a non-university certificate or diploma from a
community college, CEGEP, or school of nursing; and
- University: persons with a bachelor's degree, university degree,
certificate above a bachelor's degree, or a certificate below a bachelor's
degree.
(Council of Ministers of Education and Statistics Canada, Education
Indicators in Canada: Report of the Pan-Canadian Education Indicators Program,
2003)
Note: The order of these categories reflects education
pathways that require increasing time commitments to schooling. Each person is
classified according to the highest level completed. In the census, education
information is gathered for members of the population aged 15 and over. Most
young people aged 15 to 24 are still in school, so their current level of
education understates the skills they will ultimately bring to the labour
market. The discussion on levels of education is therefore primarily about the
population aged 25 to 64. From a life-cycle perspective, the age group from 25
to 64 roughly covers people who are old enough to have completed their formal
education but young enough to work.
Data limitations: Some sources may restrict collection to
the population aged 15 and over. Other sources, particularly provincial
administrative sources, may collect for other age groups, for example, the
population aged four and over. The population covered should be clearly stated
in the classification. It should also be noted the data will be most meaningful
when tabulated by age groups in the population, such as the population aged 25
and over, since younger groups are less likely to have achieved their life-time
attainment potential.
Data source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census
Measure: The percentage of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal
people employed in a specific year.
Data source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census
Measure: The dollar amount that marks the mid-point of
incomes for individuals with income in a specific group.
Data source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census
Measure: The number of individuals indicating they were
self-employed in any given census reference year.
Note: Self-employed includes persons 15 years of
age and over who worked since January 1, 2000, and for whom the job reported
consisted mainly of operating a business, farm, or professional practice, alone
or in partnership. Some examples include operating a farm, whether the land is
rented or owned; working on a freelance or contract basis to do a job (e.g.
architects, private duty nurses); operating a direct distributorship selling and
delivering products such as cosmetics, newspapers, brushes, and soap products;
and fishing with own equipment or with equipment in which the person has a
share.
Data source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census
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