Aboriginal Demography in Canada at the Turn of the Century: Problems, Options and Implications

Don Kerr, University of Western Ontario
Eric Guimond, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
Roderic Beaujot, University of Western Ontario

Demographers in both the United States and Canada have continued to document phenomenal growth in the numbers of persons reporting Native American origins (in both the 2000 U.S. Census and the 2001 Canadian Census). In light of this growth, the current paper provides a critical appraisal of recent demographic research on Aboriginal peoples in Canada. With a specific focus on recent efforts at estimation/projection, the current paper takes stock of many of the problems that continue to hinder demographers in documenting the characteristics of Canada's four major Aboriginal groups, (registered North American Indian, non-registered North American Indian, Métis and Inuit). With the release of data on Canada's Aboriginal population from the 2001 Canadian Census, research priorities will be discussed, including the need to immediately fill major data gaps as well as exploring the possibility of more refined models for estimation/projection.