Section 10. Aboriginal Youth
Just over 3% of all Canadians identify1 themselves as Aboriginal2. Youth (aged 15 to 24) comprise a large segment of the overall Aboriginal population, and children (those under the age of 15) make up an even larger proportion. Thus, the issues related to children and youth are of particular importance to the overall Aboriginal and Canadian populations. Data presented is largely sourced from the 2001 Census which defines Aboriginal based on identity, not by descent or origin.
10.1 General Demographics
The Aboriginal population is young and growing. In 2001, the age cohort of 15 to 24 comprised 17% of the aggregate Aboriginal population. Approximately 50% of the Aboriginal population in 2001 was under the age of 253. The Aboriginal population in Canada is relatively young compared with the overall population. In 2001, only 13% of the non-Aboriginal population was aged 15 to 24. Moreover, children under 15 accounted for 33% of all Aboriginal people in 2001, compared with 19% of the non-Aboriginal population.
Figure 10-1: Aboriginal Identity Population Distribution by Age, 2001
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census: 97F0011XCB01001
The on-reserve population is also relatively young. In 2001, 54% of all reserve residents were under age 254. For those living off reserves, 49% were under 25 and half of non-reserve Aboriginals under 25 were living in urban CMAs5.
Figure 10.2 shows the breakdown of Aboriginal identities for the 15 to 24 age group. The trends seen within these identities are consistent with the overall Aboriginal population, the concentration of the population rests with those under 25. In 2001, the Inuit population had 39% under 15 and 18% between the ages of 15 and 246. 29% of Métis were under 15 and 18% were 15 to 24. 35% of North American Indians were under 15 and 17% were 15 to 24.
Figure 10-2: Youth (15-24) Aboriginal Identity by type, 2001
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census: 97F0011XCB01001
10.1.1 Birth Rate and Life Expectancy
Note to Reader: The following data in this section pertains to First Nations only. First Nation refers to the Indian people in Canada, both Status and Non-status.
Teenage mothers accounted for approximately one-quarter of all First Nations births. According to 1999 data provided by Health Canada, the largest proportion (33%) of live births occurred in the 20 to 24 age group and 24% of live births occurred within the 15 to 19 age cohort7. By contrast, the Canadian rate peaked in the 25 to 29 age group, at 32%, the 20 to 24 and 15 to 19 cohorts were substantially lower, at 18% and 6% respectively.
In comparison, far fewer Canadian women aged 15 to 24 gave birth than First Nation women8. First Nations females aged 10 to 14 had a birth rate nine times that of their Canadian counterparts and for females aged 15 to 19, the birth rate was almost five times higher. As it is in the First Nations, the Inuit teen pregnancy/teen birth rate is higher than in the Canadian population as a whole.
Life expectancy at birth has improved among the First Nations population. In 2000, it rose to 68.9 years for males and 76.6 years for females. Life expectancy for Inuit in Nunavut for 1999 has been estimated at 67.7 years for males and 70.2 years for females. This increase could, in part, be due to children regaining status under Bill C-31.
10.1.2 Living Arrangements
In 2001, almost all of Aboriginal youth aged 15 to 24 were single (96%)9. Just under 4% were legally married and less than 1% were separated, divorced or widowed. The majority lived in family households10, and over half (62%) of all Aboriginal youth lived with their parents, 8% were lone parents, and 16% were legal or common-law spouses. Of those living in non-family households11, 4% of all Aboriginal youth were living with relatives, 7% lived with non-relatives and 3% lived alone.
10.1.3 Language
In general, Aboriginal language retention and transmission is often difficult due to limited opportunities to practice these languages and few opportunities for people to learn an Aboriginal language. The census showed that in 2001, a majority of Aboriginal youth had a mother tongue of only English.
Figure 10-3: Mother Tongue and Knowledge of Languages for Youth, 2001
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census: 97F0011XCB01040
The majority (70%) of Aboriginal youth (15 to 24) stated that they only had knowledge12 of a single language. For those that only knew one language, English was the most common (98%). French and Aboriginal knowledge was lower: 2% stated they had knowledge of only French, and 0.3% had knowledge of only Aboriginal languages. Of those Aboriginal languages, Algonquian, Inuktitut, and Athapaskan were the most frequently spoken at 0.14%, 0.12% and 0.02% respectively.
The remaining 30% of Aboriginal youth have knowledge of multiple languages. Of those that have knowledge of multiple languages, 58% have knowledge of English and Aboriginal language(s), 5% have knowledge of French and Aboriginal language(s) and 4% have knowledge of English, French and Aboriginal language(s). 33% of respondents had other multiple language combinations.
Similar results are found when looking at the languages spoken as a mother tongue13 for Aboriginal youths. Of the two official languages, 80% stated that English was their mother tongue, and only 4% stated French14. 15% stated that an Aboriginal language was their mother tongue, with the most common being Algonquian (11%), Inuktitut (3%) and Athapaskan (1%). Of those with multiple mother tongue responses (2%), the majority stated their mother tongue to be English and Aboriginal language(s) (70%) followed by a combination of other multiple responses (24%).
10.2 Education
Aboriginal youth have much lower levels of educational attainment than the overall youth population. In addition, Aboriginal youth, with the exception of university graduates, experience less favourable labour market outcomes than other youth with the same levels of educational attainment. It is critical for the future well-being of the Aboriginal communities to find appropriate ways to encourage Aboriginal youth to stay in school and to understand the factors that prevent them from reaping the same labour market outcomes as other youth in Canada15. This section has been sourced by Statistics Canada's publication Aboriginal People's Survey 2001 - Initial Findings16, unless otherwise stated.
10.2.1 Elementary and Secondary School Completion
According to the 2001 Aboriginal Peoples Survey by Statistics Canada, one fifth of young people aged 15 to 19 reported that boredom was the main reason that they exited the school system. The second reason reported for leaving school was to commence to work (stated by approximately 15% of youth). Reasons for exiting the school system before completion differed between young men and women. Nearly one-quarter of young men aged 15 to 19 (24%) said they left school because they were bored, while 19% said they wanted to work. Among women in this age group, one-quarter (25%) cited pregnancy or the need to care for children, while 15% said they were bored.
More Aboriginal youth are completing secondary school than in the past. According to the census, just over one-half (52%) of non-reserve Aboriginal people aged 20 to 24 in 1996 had incomplete secondary school as their highest level of education17. By 2001, this figure had declined to 48% but was still grossly larger than their Canadian non-reserve counterparts at 26%. For Inuit aged 20 to 24, the percentage with less than high school dropped from 66% in 1996 to 59% in 2001. Among Métis in the same age group, the figure declined from 47% to 42%. However, the situation for non-reserve North American Indian youth remained unchanged at 52%.
10.2.2 Post Secondary Education
The situation among non-reserve Aboriginal people is also improving at the post-secondary level. Census data in 2001 shows that approximately 13% of youth reported that they had some post-secondary education. 8% of youth had college or trade diplomas and just over 1% of youth had undergraduate university degrees. With rising rates of secondary school completion, as the population ages, there is potential for the majority of youth to receive post-secondary diplomas or degrees.
Figure 10-4: Levels of Education Completion for Aboriginal Youth (15-24), 2001
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census: 97F0011XCB1042
10.2.3 Completing School Later in Life
Some young people aged 15 to 19 who leave the school system before graduating from secondary school will eventually return to school to complete their studies. The 2001 census shows that 9% of the non-reserve Aboriginal population aged 20 to 64 attended school full-time, compared with 7% of the total Canadian non-reserve population18. In fact, a higher percentage of Aboriginal adults attended school full-time in 2001, compared with all Canadians in every age group except those 20 to 24. For example, among those aged 25 to 29, 14% of non-reserve Aboriginal people attended school full-time compared with 11% of the total Canadian non-reserve population the same age. The picture was similar for people aged 30 to 34 where the percentages were 10% for the non-reserve Aboriginal population and 5% for all Canadians not living on reserve19.
10.2.4 Aboriginal Teachers
The presence of Aboriginal teachers and aides in the classroom could help foster a more positive education experience as they can serve as role models and may have an approach to education that is more culturally relevant for Aboriginal students.
Aboriginal Public Survey data show that among Aboriginal youth aged 15 to 24 living in non-reserve areas, 30% said that they had had an Aboriginal teacher or aide. Young Inuit in the Far North were most likely to have had an Aboriginal teacher or aide (81%) well above the 32% of non-reserve North American Indian youth and 22% of Métis young people who had Aboriginal instructors20.
10.3 Employment and Income
When looking at the overall composition of Aboriginal youth, there is a startling trend that emerges. In looking at education and employment of Aboriginal youth in 2001, there are still large proportions that have not completed secondary school and that the labour force participation rate for the youth population is 49%. Of those in the labour force, 36% are employed.
Relative to the entire Aboriginal population, the overall participation rate is 69% and the unemployment rate is 19% for all ages. Thus, the youth cohort has a lower participation rate and a higher unemployment rate. However, part of the reason for the lower participation rate in the 15 to 24 age group could be attributed to the increased enrolment in post-secondary education programs.
Of those in the labour force, virtually all were wage or salary earners, and less than 2% were self-employed or unpaid family workers. The most common jobs held by youth in 2001 by occupation classification determined by Statistics Canada were: sales and service (43%); trade, transport and equipment operations (13%) and business, finance and administration (10%). Also, 9% had never held a job for which they had been paid. Figure 10.5 shows all occupational groups.
Figure 10-5: Aboriginal Youth (15 to 24) Occupation Groups, 2001
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census: 97F0011XCB01045
All data regarding income of Aboriginal youth is based on Statistics Canada census data for 2001 which are based on the income earnings for 2000. Just under half of all Aboriginal youths did not work in the year 2000 (46%), and of those who did work, 9% were employed full-time for the entire year of 2000 while 45% worked part-time. The average employment income for Aboriginal youth was $8,11921, and income from employment made up 73% of all income sources. 27% of income came from government or other sources. Figure 10.6 illustrates the income distribution for those Aboriginal youth with income in 2000.
Figure 10-6: Income Distribution for Youth (15 to 24) with incomes in 2000
Source: Statistics Canada, 2001 Census: 97F0011XCB01047
There are high levels of low income in the Aboriginal population, with an overall incidence of low-income in economic families of 31%. The highest rate of low income incidence is with children aged 14 and under (41%), but the second highest incidence is in the youth cohort (31%). For youth not living in an economic family (single income earners), there was 75% experienced low income incidence in 200022.
While favourable developments have taken place in recent years in the labour market for youth, not completing high school, or not achieving a given threshold in terms of skills, places youth at a serious disadvantage in an economy that demands a more highly skilled workforce. Aboriginal youth, who are among the fastest growing segments of the youth population in Canada, face especially serious challenges.
10.4 Health
Aboriginal youth report health status on par with other Canadian youth. In 2001, about 69% of Aboriginal people aged 15-24 in non-reserve areas rated their health as very good or excellent, compared with 71% of the total population in the same age group. Women reported that their overall health was not as excellent as men (with 65% and 74% choosing excellent respectively). Only 7% of women and 5% of men said that they were in fair or poor health. As the Aboriginal population is the fastest growing component of the youth population, these young people will play a pivotal role in the future health of the overall Aboriginal population23.
10.5 Aboriginal Youth and the Justice System
Aboriginal youth are disproportionately represented at all points in the criminal justice system. While Aboriginal youth constituted 5% of the population, they accounted for approximately 25% of remand admissions, 22% of sentenced custody admissions, 17% of probation admissions and 16% of alternative measures cases in 2001-0224. This over-representation is even more pronounced for females: Aboriginal females constituted 32% of remand admissions and 25% of sentenced custody admissions. The trend of over-representation is pronounced in Western Canada and the Territories where Aboriginal populations are most concentrated.
10.5.1 Aboriginal Youth and Alternative Measures
A report to the Department of Justice Canada in 2003 has showed that police agencies with jurisdiction over aboriginal populations were slightly more likely than other police services to use informal action, twice as likely to refer youth to a Restorative Justice program, less likely to use summonses or appearance notices, more likely to use a Promise to Appear and an OIC Undertaking, and more likely to detain for a JIR hearing because the youth is a repeat offender, is intoxicated, or for the youth's safety25.
Aboriginal youth are also over-represented in alternative measures26. Alternative measures are formalized programs whereby young people who would otherwise proceed to court are dealt with through non-judicial, community-based alternatives. Typical programs include personal service to a victim; financial compensation to a victim; community service; educational sessions; personal or written apology; and essays or presentations related to the offence. In 1998-99, while Aboriginal youth represented 4% of the youth population, they accounted for 15% of alternative measures cases in provinces and territories able to provide data27. This is slightly higher than in 1997-98 (12%).
Among those jurisdictions that provided data, the largest proportion of Aboriginal youth participating in alternative measures occurred in Saskatchewan, which made up 48% of alternative measures cases assigned. This proportion is more than three times higher than Saskatchewan's percentage of Aboriginal youth (15%). In addition to Saskatchewan, both Alberta and Yukon had much higher proportions of Aboriginal youth in alternative measures than their relative proportion of Aboriginal youth in the population. While Aboriginal youth accounted for 6% of the youth in Alberta, 14% of youth participating in alternative measures were Aboriginal. While 24% of Yukon's youth population is Aboriginal, 38% of youth who participated in alternative measures were Aboriginal.
10.5.2 Aboriginal Youth More Likely Remanded in Custody
In 1998-99, there were 24,061 remanded admissions, accounting for 60% of total youth custody admissions28. Of reporting jurisdictions where Aboriginal status was known29, Aboriginal youth admissions made up 26% of the total admissions to remand. In comparison, Aboriginal youth made up only 7% of youth aged 12 to 17 in those jurisdictions.
The most disproportionate representation was evident in the western provinces. In Manitoba, for example, 69% of youth admissions into remand were identified as being Aboriginal, whereas only 16% of Manitoba's youth population were Aboriginal. In Alberta, 33% of youth remanded admissions were Aboriginal, compared to 6% of the youth population. In comparison, Aboriginal youth accounted for 4% of youth remand admissions and 2% of the general youth population in the reporting eastern provinces (Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia).
10.5.3 Aboriginal Youth Over-represented in Sentenced Custody Admissions
In the reporting jurisdictions where Aboriginal status was known, in 1998-99 Aboriginal youth admissions accounted for nearly one quarter of the total admissions to sentenced custody30.
With the exception of Prince Edward Island, Aboriginal youth were over-represented in each reporting jurisdiction, particularly among the western provinces. In Manitoba, for example, three-quarters (75%) of sentenced custody admissions were identified as Aboriginal even though only16% of Manitoba's youth population were Aboriginal. The situation in Saskatchewan was similar, where 74% of youth admissions were Aboriginal, while only 15% of the youth population in that province were Aboriginal. Aboriginal people account for 14% of youth on probation. Probation is the most common disposition imposed on young offenders. Once again, probation admissions show an over-representation of Aboriginal youth, particularly among the western provinces. In 1998-99, Aboriginal youth accounted for 14% of probation admissions31.
1 Statistics Canada definition of identity: Refers to those persons who reported identifying with at least one Aboriginal group, i.e. North American Indian, Métis or Inuit (Eskimo), and/or those who reported being a Treaty Indian or a Registered Indian as defined by the Indian Act of Canada and/or who were members of an Indian Band or First Nation. Statistics Canada definition of origin: Refers to those persons who reported at least one Aboriginal origin to the ethnic origin question (North American Indian, Métis or Inuit). Ethnic origin refers to the ethnic or cultural group(s) to which the respondent's ancestors belong.
2 Statistics Canada, 2001 Census: 97F0011XCB01001.
3 Statistics Canada. Census 2001 : 97F0011XCB01001.
4 All data in this section from the 2001 Census, 97F0011XCB01001.
5 CMA is abbreviated for Census Metropolitan Areas. Defined by Statistics Canada, a census metropolitan area (CMA) or a census agglomeration (CA) is formed by one or more adjacent municipalities centred on a large urban area (known as the urban core). The census population count of the urban core is at least 10,000 to form a census agglomeration and at least 100,000 to form a census metropolitan area.
6 All data in this section from the 2001 Census, 97F0011XCB01001.
7 Sources for this section has been taken from A Statistical Profile on the Health of First Nations in Canada published by Health Canada, 2003. 92-353-XPB
8 Health Canada. A Statistical Profile on the Health of First Nations in Canada. 2003. 92-353-XPB.
9 This section has been sourced from Statistics Canada, 2001 Census: 97F0011XCB01040.
10 Defined by Statistics Canada, a family household refers to a household that contains at least one census family, that is, a married couple with or without children, or a couple living common-law with or without children, or a lone parent living with one or more children (lone-parent family).
11 Defined by Statistics Canada, a non-family household refers to either one person living alone in a private dwelling or to a group of two or more people who share a private dwelling, but who do not constitute a census family.
12 Statistics Canada defines knowledge of a language to be the ability to conduct a conversation in a given language.
13 Statistics Canada defines mother tongue as the first language learned at home in childhood and still understood by the individual at the time of the census.
14 This section has been sourced by Statistics Canada, 2001 Census: 97F0011XCB01040.
15 Taken directly from: Human Resources Development Canada (now HRSD). Profile of Canadian Youth in the Labour Market: Second Annual Report to the Forum of Labour Market Ministers 2000.
16 Statistics Canada, Census 2001: Aboriginal Peoples Survey 2001 - Initial Findings: Well-Being of the non-reserve Aboriginal population, 2003. 89-589-XIE.
17 Statistics Canada, Census 2001: Aboriginal Peoples Survey 2001 - Initial Findings: Well-Being of the non-reserve Aboriginal population, 2003. 89-589-XIE.
18 Statistics Canada, Census 2001: Aboriginal Peoples Survey 2001 - Initial Findings: Well-Being of the non-reserve Aboriginal population, 2003. 89-589-XIE.
19 Statistics Canada, Census 2001: Aboriginal Peoples Survey 2001 - Initial Findings: Well-Being of the non-reserve Aboriginal population, 2003. 89-589-XIE.
20 Statistics Canada, Census 2001: Aboriginal Peoples Survey 2001 - Initial Findings: Well-Being of the non-reserve Aboriginal population, 2003. 89-589-XIE.
21 Statistics Canada notes a standard error of income average of $31 (97F0011XCB01047).
22 Sources for this section on income have been taken from Statistics Canada 2001 Census data, 97F0011XCB01047.
23 Sources from Statistics Canada, Census 2001: Aboriginal Peoples Survey 2001 - Initial Findings: Well-Being of the non-reserve Aboriginal population, 2003. 89-589-XIE.
24 Statistics Canada - Juristat, Youth Custody and Community Services in Canada, 2001/02: 85-002-XIE, Vol.24, No.3
25 This paragraph has been sourced from Justice Canada - Police Discretion With Young Offenders -available at: http://www.justice.gc.ca/en/ps/yj/research/carrington-schulenberg/report.html
26 This section is sourced by: Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics Alternative Measures Survey 1998-99. Available from Statistics Canada, 85F0033MIE.
27 Data were not available for Newfoundland, Quebec, Ontario (12-15 years), Manitoba, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories. Therefore, the population data from the above-mentioned jurisdictions were also excluded from the calculation of proportions. In the jurisdictions where Aboriginal status data were available, the proportion of 'not stated' ranged from 0% in Prince Edward Island and Yukon to 44% in Alberta.
28 This figure excludes Saskatchewan remand admissions, which were not reported.
29 Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon and the Northwest Territories reported remand admissions by Aboriginal status. New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario MCSS and Saskatchewan were unable to report remand data by Aboriginal status.
30 In those jurisdictions that reported Aboriginal status, 7% were unknown. New Brunswick and Quebec were unable to report sentenced custody admissions by Aboriginal status.
31 This proportion increases to 18% when only the jurisdiction that was able to report both custody and probation admissions by Aboriginal status are taken into account. These jurisdictions were Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Alberta, British Columbia and Yukon.
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