About IWGIAIndigenous peoples in Canada
The indigenous peoples of Canada are collectively referred to as “Aboriginal peoples”. The Constitution Act, 1982 of Canada recognizes three groups of Aboriginal peoples: Indians, Inuit and Métis. According to the 2006 census, Aboriginal peoples in Canada total 1,172,790, 3.6% of the population of Canada.
First Nations (referred to as “Indians” in the Constitution and generally registered under Canada’s Indian Act ) are a diverse group of 698,025 people, representing more than 52 nations and more than 60 languages. Around 55% live on-reserve and 45% reside off-reserve in urban, rural, special access and remote areas.
The Métis constitute a distinct Aboriginal nation, numbering 389,780 in 2006, many of whom live in urban centres, mostly in western Canada. The Métis people emerged out of the relations of Indian women and European men prior to Canada’s crystallization as a nation.
The Inuit number 55,000 people, or 4.3% of the Aboriginal population. They live in 53 Arctic communities in four Land Claims regions: Nunatsiavut (Labrador); Nunavik (Quebec); Nunavut; and the Inuvialuit Settlement Region of the Northwest Territories.
On 12 November 2010, the Canadian government announced its endorsement of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) which was passed by the UN General Assembly in September 2007. This decision comes as a reversal of Canada's earlier opposition to the declaration, which it had pursued together with Australia, the USA and New Zealand, which all have since revised their attitude towards the UNDRIP (you can find the official statement of the endorsement here)
Download the 2011 yearbook article on indigenous peoples in Canada to read more about major developments and events during 2010
