Questions About Myths and Realities on Aboriginal People in Canada
- Violence, alcoholism and child abuse are cultural traits of Aboriginal people.
- Aboriginal women who are victims of spousal violence stay because they don’t want to leave.
- Aboriginal women are safer outside their community.
- There are approximately 72 000 Aboriginal women living in communities and cities of Quebec and 600 000 in Canada.
- Aboriginal women have many more children than Canadian women.
- The majority of Aboriginal women in this country are elders.
- The life expectancy of a women in Quebec and an Aboriginal woman in the province are roughly the same.
- The Indian Act, passed in 1876, is still in effect.
- An Aboriginal woman in Canada is no more at risk of being discriminated against than an Aboriginal man.
- Aboriginal women are under-represented within the politics of their communities.
- Aboriginal people have a status that favors them economically since they pay neither income tax nor tax.
- Aboriginal women are more at risk of disappearing or being murdered than other women in the country.
- About 30% of Aboriginal women who are victims of sexual abuse report their abuser.
1. Violence, alcoholism and child abuse are cultural traits of Aboriginal people.
Reality: False.
The fact that these problems are widespread does not make them cultural traits. Instead, they are the reflection of identity upheavals generated particularly by residential schools. Moreover, as in any other populations, these problems reflect the distress caused by unfavourable living conditions: poverty, overcrowding, poor access to employment and education, etc. Government of Quebec, Conseil du statut de la femme, À la rencontre des femmes Autochtones du Québec, September 2016.
2. Aboriginal women who are victims of spousal violence stay because they don’t want to leave.
Reality: False.
The reasons why many women find it difficult to report abuse or to leave abusive partners are related to:
- The lack or absence of local resources (many communities do not have a women’s shelter);
- The lack or absence of available housing (women wanting to leave a violent situation will have to leave the community, which can be very difficult if they have limited means and several children;
- The lack of confidence in local resources (medical, social, public security, etc.) because in small communities, everyone knows each other and there are therefore issues regarding the respect for undeniable confidentiality.
Government of Québec, Conseil du statut de la femme, À la rencontre des femmes Autochtones du Québec, September 2016.
3. Aboriginal women are safer outside their community.
Reality: False.
When they find themselves outside communities, they are more vulnerable to violence. Government of Québec, Conseil du statut de la femme, À la rencontre des femmes Autochtones du Québec, September 2016.
4. There are approximately 72 000 Aboriginal women living in communities and cities of Quebec and 600 000 in Canada.
Reality: True.
In 2011, an estimated 71 710 Aboriginal women lived in communities and cities of Quebec. They represent about 1.8% of the province's female population. In 2006, there were 600 695 Aboriginal women in Canada. That year, Aboriginal women and girls accounted for 4% of the total female population.
CONSEIL DU STATUT DE LA FEMME (2015). Portrait des Québécoises en huit temps, Québec, Conseil du statut de la femme, p. 7.
5. Aboriginal women have many more children than Canadian women.
Reality: True.
In 2011, Aboriginal women had an average of 2.4 children compared to 1.7 children for other Canadian women. MORENCY, Jean-Dominique and Éric CARON MALENFANT (2014). Variations de la fécondité au Canada selon diverses caractéristiques au recensement: une utilisation de la méthode du décompte des enfants au foyer, [online], Statistics Canada, 19 p., http://bit.ly/2bSS16j (Page consulted on June 16, 2016). [Online]. [http://bit.ly/2bSS16j]
6. The majority of Aboriginal women in this country are elders.
Reality: False.
In 2011, half of Quebec's Aboriginal women were under the age of 34, nine years younger than the median age of Quebec's overall female population. Also, 22.4% of Aboriginal women were 14 years old or younger compared to 15.3% for all female Quebecers. STATISTIC CANADA (Page consulted on June 16, 2016). Profil de la population autochtone de l’ENM, Québec, 2011, [online], http://bit.ly/2c3GKkY 11 INSTITUT DE LA STATISTIQUE DU QUÉBEC (2015). Démographie : le bilan démographique du Québec, éd. 2015, (online], Quebec, Institut de la statistique du Québec, 167 p., http://bit.ly/1ICpLjq (Page consulted on June 16, 2016).
7. The life expectancy of a women in Quebec and an Aboriginal woman in the province are roughly the same.
Reality: False.
In 2012, the life expectancy of First Nations women at birth was 78 to 80 years compared to 83.8 years for Quebec women. PAYEUR, Frédéric F. (2013). Coup d’œil sociodémographique : la mortalité et l’espérance de vie au Québec en 2012, [online], Quebec, Institut de la statistique du Québec, 5 p., http://bit.ly/1xJ1zDU (Page consulted on June 16, 2016). Number 26.
8. The Indian Act, passed in 1876, is still in effect.
Reality: True.
It is still in in effect, however some discriminatory elements regarding women were eliminated in 1985. They lost their Indian status if they married a non-Indian, forcing them to leave their community and renounce to their heritage and family lands. Despite the changes, modifications to this law have created new discriminations against women. For instance, limitative clauses of Indian status favor the exclusion of women and children from reserves, and there still exists an inequality in the economic rights of spouses, to the detriment of women. CANADA. AUTDITOR GENERAL OF CANADA (1991). Report of the Auditor General to the House of Commons, Ottawa, Auditor General of Canada.
9. An Aboriginal woman in Canada is no more at risk of being discriminated against than an Aboriginal man.
Reality: False.
A child born to an Aboriginal mother and a father who, for whatever reason, did not sign the birth registration form, is recognized as having a single Aboriginal parent. Thus, depending on the mother’s status, the child may not inherit an Aboriginal status. Government of Quebec, Conseil du statut de la femme, À la rencontre des femmes Autochtones du Québec, September 2016.
10. Aboriginal women are under-represented within the politics of their communities.
SEE WITH SOPHIE Reality: Increasingly less true.
The year 1992 marks the election of the first woman head of a band council. Jocelyne Gros-Louis, Grand Chief of the Huron Nation. In 2015, women hold about 40% of the seats on the Quebec and Labrador Band Councils (103 out of 250). These elected representatives are almost all counselors * (1)
11. Aboriginal people have a status that favors them economically since they pay neither income tax nor tax.
Reality: False.
Only First Nations people who have Indian status do not pay income tax or tax, and only if they live on a reserve or if they work in a business located on a reserve. Aboriginal people living off-reserves and Inuit pay tax and income tax. Furthermore, this “privilege” stated in the Indian Act entails the denial of other rights. As a result, Aboriginal people are deprived of property rights on reserves, which is a major constraint in gaining access to credit, such as for business start-ups. JOBBOOM (Page consulted on June 15, 2016). La Loi sur les Indiens nuit à l’entrepreneuriat autochtone, [online], http://bit.ly/2bzWivW
12. Aboriginal women are more at risk of disappearing or being murdered than other women in the country.
Reality: True.
Although they make up 4.3% of the female population, Aboriginal women make up 16% of all women murdered in Canada between 1980 and 2012. In 2013, they accounted for 11.3% of all missing women in Canada. Government of Quebec, Conseil du statut de la femme, À la rencontre des femmes Autochtones du Québec, September 2016. At least 8% of women aged 15 and over who were murdered between 2001 and 2011 were Aboriginal, a rate that is twice the rate of their representation in the Canadian population (4%) CONDITION FÉMININE CANADA (Page consulted on June 15, 2016). Mesure de la violence faite aux femmes: tendances statistiques – Principales constatations, [online], http://bit.ly/2bNbfab
13. About 30% of Aboriginal women who are victims of sexual abuse report their abuser.
Reality: False.
According to 89.1% of Aboriginal respondents who participated in a study on sexual abuse among First Nations, victims do not want to report abuse because they refuse to use the justice system. http://www.rcentres.qc.ca/files/femmes_autochtones.pdf
Reality: False.
The fact that these problems are widespread does not make them cultural traits. Instead, they are the reflection of identity upheavals generated particularly by residential schools. Moreover, as in any other populations, these problems reflect the distress caused by unfavourable living conditions: poverty, overcrowding, poor access to employment and education, etc. Government of Quebec, Conseil du statut de la femme, À la rencontre des femmes Autochtones du Québec, September 2016.
2. Aboriginal women who are victims of spousal violence stay because they don’t want to leave.
Reality: False.
The reasons why many women find it difficult to report abuse or to leave abusive partners are related to:
- The lack or absence of local resources (many communities do not have a women’s shelter);
- The lack or absence of available housing (women wanting to leave a violent situation will have to leave the community, which can be very difficult if they have limited means and several children;
- The lack of confidence in local resources (medical, social, public security, etc.) because in small communities, everyone knows each other and there are therefore issues regarding the respect for undeniable confidentiality.
Government of Québec, Conseil du statut de la femme, À la rencontre des femmes Autochtones du Québec, September 2016.
3. Aboriginal women are safer outside their community.
Reality: False.
When they find themselves outside communities, they are more vulnerable to violence. Government of Québec, Conseil du statut de la femme, À la rencontre des femmes Autochtones du Québec, September 2016.
4. There are approximately 72 000 Aboriginal women living in communities and cities of Quebec and 600 000 in Canada.
Reality: True.
In 2011, an estimated 71 710 Aboriginal women lived in communities and cities of Quebec. They represent about 1.8% of the province's female population. In 2006, there were 600 695 Aboriginal women in Canada. That year, Aboriginal women and girls accounted for 4% of the total female population.
CONSEIL DU STATUT DE LA FEMME (2015). Portrait des Québécoises en huit temps, Québec, Conseil du statut de la femme, p. 7.
5. Aboriginal women have many more children than Canadian women.
Reality: True.
In 2011, Aboriginal women had an average of 2.4 children compared to 1.7 children for other Canadian women. MORENCY, Jean-Dominique and Éric CARON MALENFANT (2014). Variations de la fécondité au Canada selon diverses caractéristiques au recensement: une utilisation de la méthode du décompte des enfants au foyer, [online], Statistics Canada, 19 p., http://bit.ly/2bSS16j (Page consulted on June 16, 2016). [Online]. [http://bit.ly/2bSS16j]
6. The majority of Aboriginal women in this country are elders.
Reality: False.
In 2011, half of Quebec's Aboriginal women were under the age of 34, nine years younger than the median age of Quebec's overall female population. Also, 22.4% of Aboriginal women were 14 years old or younger compared to 15.3% for all female Quebecers. STATISTIC CANADA (Page consulted on June 16, 2016). Profil de la population autochtone de l’ENM, Québec, 2011, [online], http://bit.ly/2c3GKkY 11 INSTITUT DE LA STATISTIQUE DU QUÉBEC (2015). Démographie : le bilan démographique du Québec, éd. 2015, (online], Quebec, Institut de la statistique du Québec, 167 p., http://bit.ly/1ICpLjq (Page consulted on June 16, 2016).
7. The life expectancy of a women in Quebec and an Aboriginal woman in the province are roughly the same.
Reality: False.
In 2012, the life expectancy of First Nations women at birth was 78 to 80 years compared to 83.8 years for Quebec women. PAYEUR, Frédéric F. (2013). Coup d’œil sociodémographique : la mortalité et l’espérance de vie au Québec en 2012, [online], Quebec, Institut de la statistique du Québec, 5 p., http://bit.ly/1xJ1zDU (Page consulted on June 16, 2016). Number 26.
8. The Indian Act, passed in 1876, is still in effect.
Reality: True.
It is still in in effect, however some discriminatory elements regarding women were eliminated in 1985. They lost their Indian status if they married a non-Indian, forcing them to leave their community and renounce to their heritage and family lands. Despite the changes, modifications to this law have created new discriminations against women. For instance, limitative clauses of Indian status favor the exclusion of women and children from reserves, and there still exists an inequality in the economic rights of spouses, to the detriment of women. CANADA. AUTDITOR GENERAL OF CANADA (1991). Report of the Auditor General to the House of Commons, Ottawa, Auditor General of Canada.
9. An Aboriginal woman in Canada is no more at risk of being discriminated against than an Aboriginal man.
Reality: False.
A child born to an Aboriginal mother and a father who, for whatever reason, did not sign the birth registration form, is recognized as having a single Aboriginal parent. Thus, depending on the mother’s status, the child may not inherit an Aboriginal status. Government of Quebec, Conseil du statut de la femme, À la rencontre des femmes Autochtones du Québec, September 2016.
10. Aboriginal women are under-represented within the politics of their communities.
SEE WITH SOPHIE Reality: Increasingly less true.
The year 1992 marks the election of the first woman head of a band council. Jocelyne Gros-Louis, Grand Chief of the Huron Nation. In 2015, women hold about 40% of the seats on the Quebec and Labrador Band Councils (103 out of 250). These elected representatives are almost all counselors * (1)
11. Aboriginal people have a status that favors them economically since they pay neither income tax nor tax.
Reality: False.
Only First Nations people who have Indian status do not pay income tax or tax, and only if they live on a reserve or if they work in a business located on a reserve. Aboriginal people living off-reserves and Inuit pay tax and income tax. Furthermore, this “privilege” stated in the Indian Act entails the denial of other rights. As a result, Aboriginal people are deprived of property rights on reserves, which is a major constraint in gaining access to credit, such as for business start-ups. JOBBOOM (Page consulted on June 15, 2016). La Loi sur les Indiens nuit à l’entrepreneuriat autochtone, [online], http://bit.ly/2bzWivW
12. Aboriginal women are more at risk of disappearing or being murdered than other women in the country.
Reality: True.
Although they make up 4.3% of the female population, Aboriginal women make up 16% of all women murdered in Canada between 1980 and 2012. In 2013, they accounted for 11.3% of all missing women in Canada. Government of Quebec, Conseil du statut de la femme, À la rencontre des femmes Autochtones du Québec, September 2016. At least 8% of women aged 15 and over who were murdered between 2001 and 2011 were Aboriginal, a rate that is twice the rate of their representation in the Canadian population (4%) CONDITION FÉMININE CANADA (Page consulted on June 15, 2016). Mesure de la violence faite aux femmes: tendances statistiques – Principales constatations, [online], http://bit.ly/2bNbfab
13. About 30% of Aboriginal women who are victims of sexual abuse report their abuser.
Reality: False.
According to 89.1% of Aboriginal respondents who participated in a study on sexual abuse among First Nations, victims do not want to report abuse because they refuse to use the justice system. http://www.rcentres.qc.ca/files/femmes_autochtones.pdf