Census learning centre
Concepts related to the Indigenous population

Release date: November 15, 2023

Catalogue number: 982000032021020

Hello and welcome to the "Concepts related to the Indigenous population" video.

This video is designed to provide a basic understanding of the Indigenous population concepts. In this video, you will learn about the various ways to define the Indigenous population, which questions or combination of questions are used to count each of these populations, and how to differentiate each of these populations.

Subject
Indigenous
Length
00:07:11
Cost
Free
Links

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Concept video: Concepts related to the Indigenous population - Transcription

(The Statistics Canada symbol and "Canada" wordmark appear on screen with the title: "Concept video: Concepts related to the Indigenous population.")

Welcome to the Concepts related to the Indigenous population video which is designed to provide a basic understanding of the concepts related to the Indigenous population.

In this video, you will learn about the variables used to describe the Indigenous population, which questions or combination of questions are used to count First Nations people, Métis and Inuit, and how to differentiate each of these populations.

At the end of this video you will be able to:

  • Identify who is included in each specific Indigenous group, and
  • Examine the questions that are used to determine who is part of the Indigenous identity population.

Let us take a look at the variables used to describe the Indigenous population as it relates to the census.

There are various ways to describe the Indigenous population, based on questions asked in the census, and dependant on the focus and the requirements of the data users:

(An image of the long-form 2A-R questionnaire appears on the screen.)

  • Indigenous ancestry
  • Indigenous group
  • Registered or Treaty Indian status
  • Membership in a First Nation or Indian band
  • Indigenous identity
  • Membership in a Métis organization or Settlement, and
  • Enrollment under, or a beneficiary of, an Inuit land claims agreement.

Different federal programs use different definitions. The broadest definition is the Indigenous ancestry definition.

We will now examine the questions in details.

First we will look at Indigenous ancestry.

Ancestry refers to the ethnic or cultural origins of the respondent’s ancestors, an ancestor being usually more distant than a grandparent. A person can have more than one ethnic or cultural origin.

Anyone who reports one or more Indigenous origins—for example Cree, Naskapi, Métis, Inuk (Inuit) or Tlingit—is counted as part of the Indigenous ancestry population.

(An image of Question 23 of the 2A-L questionnaire and an image of Question 23 of the 2A-R questionnaire appear on the screen.)

These data are collected in Question 23 of the census. Note that while the ethnic origin question asked in the long-form 2A-L questionnaire is the same as the one asked in the long-form 2A-R questionnaire (which is the questionnaire used in First Nations reserves and settlements; Métis settlements; or Inuit and remote communities only), the list of examples is different in the two questionnaires. The 2A-R questionnaire includes more First Nations examples.

Next we will look at the Indigenous group.

(An image of Question 24 of the 2A-R questionnaire appears on the screen.)

Indigenous group refers to people who reported identifying with at least one Indigenous group (First Nations, Métis or Inuk (Inuit)) in response to the Indigenous group question, which is Question 24. The Indigenous group question allows for the reporting of single and multiple responses. Users should be careful not to be confused with the Indigenous identity derived variable which will be described later in this video.

Registered or Treaty Indian status, asked in Question 26, is the next topic we will examine.

(An image of Question 26 of the 2A-R questionnaire appears on the screen.)

Registered or Treaty Indian status refers to people who reported they were registered under the Indian Act of Canada.

It is possible for a respondent to answer that they are not an Indigenous person in Question 24 and then to answer that they are a Registered or Treaty Indian in Question 26.

Next we will discuss Member of a First Nation or Indian band.

(An image of Question 27 of the 2A-R questionnaire appears on the screen.)

Member of a First Nation or Indian band refers to people who reported being a member of a First Nation or Indian band on Question 27.

The Membership in a First Nation or Indian band question asked in the 2A-R questionnaire is the same as the question asked in the 2A-L questionnaire.

Like the Registered or Treaty Indian status question, it is possible for a respondent to answer that they are not an Indigenous person in Question 24 and then to answer that they are a member of a First Nation or Indian band in Question 27.

Now we will look at Indigenous Identity (derived).

(Questions 24, 26 and 27 of the 2A-R questionnaire appear on the screen.)

Indigenous identity (derived) combines the results of the three following questions:

  • Indigenous group (Question 24)
  • Registered or Treaty Indian status (Question 26), and
  • Membership in a First Nation or Indian band (Question 27).

Anyone who answers “Yes” to any of these questions is considered to be part of the Indigenous identity population.

This is the most common definition of the Indigenous population used in Statistics Canada analysis and products.

Membership in a Métis organization or Settlement (Question 28) and enrollment under, or a beneficiary of, an Inuit land claims agreement (Question 29) are two new questions added to the 2021 Census.

(Questions 28 and 29 of the 2A-R questionnaire appear on the screen.)

They are not directly related to the Indigenous ancestry (Question 23) nor Indigenous identity variable that is derived from question 24, 26 and 27, but are designed to collect additional details for these populations.

Let’s take a closer look at Membership in a Métis organization or Settlement.

(An image of Question 28 of the 2A-R questionnaire appears on the screen.)

This question asked in the 2A-R questionnaire is the same as the question asked in the 2A-L questionnaire.

The respondent is required to indicate if the person is a member of a Métis organization or Settlement. If yes, the person needs to indicate which organization or Settlement. A list of response options is provided on both questionnaires.

Next, we will look closer at Enrollment under, or a beneficiary of, an Inuit land claims agreement.

(An image of Question 29 of the 2A-R questionnaire appears on the screen.)

This question asked in the 2A-R questionnaire is also the same as the question asked in the 2A-L questionnaire.

The respondent is required to indicate if a person is enrolled under, or a beneficiary of, an Inuit land claims agreement. If yes, the person needs to indicate which Inuit land claims agreement. A list of response options is provided on both questionnaires.

(The words "Thank you for watching the 'Concepts related to the Indigenous population' video" appear on screen.)

This concludes the Concepts related to the Indigenous population video. Thanks for watching!

(The census logo appears with a link, which is also available to view here: Census of population. The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) 978-0-660-45129-9 appears underneath the link.)

For more detailed information regarding concepts, variables, methodology, historical comparability and other elements, please refer to Statistics Canada's census pages.

(The "Canada" wordmark appears.)

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