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Frequently Asked Questions

2006 Aboriginal Children's Survey

1. What is the Aboriginal Children's Survey?

The Aboriginal Children's Survey is a national survey focusing on the development and well-being of First Nations children living off-reserve, Métis and Inuit, under the age of 6 years. This is the first time it has been conducted.

2. What type of information is collected in the Aboriginal Children's Survey?

The Aboriginal Children's Survey collects information on a wide range of topics, including child's health, sleep, nutrition, development, nurturing, child care, school, language, behaviour, and activities. Since the child's environment is important to their development and well-being, some information is collected on the child's parent(s) or guardian(s) and their neighbourhood or community.

3. Why is the information from Aboriginal Children's Survey important?

There is currently little data available about the early development of Aboriginal children. The Aboriginal Children's Survey is designed to address this gap and provide information on motor, social and cognitive development of Aboriginal children under the age of 6 years.

The information will be useful to Aboriginal organizations, governments, researchers and others in addressing the specific and unique needs of young Aboriginal children.

4. Who was included in the Aboriginal Children's Survey?

Approximately 18,000 First Nations children living off-reserve, Métis and Inuit living in urban, rural and remote areas in Canada were selected for the survey.¹

The survey also included non-Aboriginal children living in the territories in order to produce data for the Survey of Northern Children.²

5. Why did you not conduct the survey on reserves?

Statistics Canada recognizes the importance of collecting quality and representative data on First Nations children living on reserve. However, a mutually agreed-upon process with First Nations communities must first be in place, as it is essential to achieving good participation.

Statistics Canada will be working with its federal partners and First Nations leadership to explore the possibilities of conducting the survey on-reserve in the future.

6. Is this representative of Aboriginal children given that it was not conducted on reserves?

Although the survey cannot produce data for the on-reserve population, it is representative of First Nations children living off reserve, Métis and Inuit. Having information about these populations is important for decision-making and research.

7. How did you identify Aboriginal children for this survey?

The Aboriginal Children's Survey is a post-censal survey, meaning the Census was used to identify children to be included in the Aboriginal Children's Survey.

A random sample was selected from the list of children under the age of six who were reported to be:

• a North American Indian, Métis or Inuit person;
• registered or treaty Indians;
• member of an Indian Band or First Nation.

A sample of children who had Aboriginal ancestors was also included.

8. How does the Aboriginal Children's Survey differ from the census?

The census collects basic socio-demographic information about all Canadians. The Aboriginal Children's Survey followed up with parents/guardians of selected children who were identified as Aboriginal children on the census questionnaire.

The Aboriginal Children's Survey collects more detailed information on a variety of topics allowing for a deeper analysis of issues relevant to the Aboriginal population.

9. Were Aboriginal Peoples involved?

A unique process was used to develop the Aboriginal Children's Survey involving direct participation of parents, front-line workers, early childhood educators, researchers, Aboriginal organizations and others. A Technical Advisory Group (TAG), consisting of specialists in Aboriginal early childhood development, was established to provide guidance on the development and implementation of the survey. This group has provided invaluable input throughout the survey process.

Aboriginal Peoples across Canada were also involved in activities such as the children's art campaign, focus tests, regional discussions, questionnaire testing and survey promotion.

A number of national Aboriginal organizations were involved throughout the survey process, including:

• Congress of Aboriginal Peoples
• Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
• Métis National Council
• National Association of Friendship Centres
• Native Women's Association of Canada

10. How were the data collected?

Personal interviews were conducted in remote areas and telephone interviews were conducted elsewhere. When possible, Aboriginal interviewers conducted the survey.

11. Was the survey conducted in Aboriginal languages?

Yes, the questions were translated into seven Aboriginal languages: five Inuit dialects, and two Cree dialects.³ Where required, interpreters were hired for conducting the survey in other Aboriginal languages.

12. For what geographic level are data available?

Statistics Canada does not release any information that could potentially identify an individual. Given the sample size, it was possible to produce estimates at the national, provincial and territorial levels.⁴

13. What about Aboriginal children over the age of six?

The Aboriginal Peoples Survey was conducted at the same time as the Aboriginal Children's Survey and collected information about Aboriginal Peoples aged 6 years and over. The 2006 Aboriginal Peoples Survey results were released on December 3, 2008.

14. Can this information be compared with the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY)?

During content development, a decision was made by stakeholders to develop an instrument that was specific to Aboriginal children and culturally appropriate. As a result, our ability to make comparisons with other Canadian children (through the NLSCY) is limited.

Notes:

1. While almost 18,000 children were selected, nearly 14,000 participated in the survey.
2. Although the survey was primarily conducted off-reserve, The James Bay Cree (only in Quebec) and First Nations communities in the territories did participate.
3. The two Cree dialects were Coastal and Inland. This was done to conduct the survey in James Bay Cree communities.
4. Due to sample size, the Atlantic provinces are grouped together for the estimates.

2006 Aboriginal Peoples Survey

1. What is the Aboriginal Peoples Survey?

The Aboriginal Peoples Survey is a national survey of First Nations people living off-reserve, Métis and Inuit. The Aboriginal Peoples Survey covers children from age 6 to 14 and adults (The Aboriginal Children's Survey studies Aboriginal children under the age of 6). The Aboriginal Peoples Survey was previously conducted in 1991 and 2001.

2. What type of information is collected in the Aboriginal Peoples Survey?

The Aboriginal Peoples Survey provides data on the social and economic conditions of Aboriginal people in Canada. The information collected includes data on health, language, employment, income, schooling, housing, and mobility.

3. Why is the information from the Aboriginal Peoples Survey important?

The information contained in the Aboriginal Peoples Survey will be useful to Aboriginal organizations, governments, researchers and others in addressing the specific and unique needs of Aboriginal Peoples.

4. Who was included in the Aboriginal Peoples Survey?

The Aboriginal Peoples Survey collected information on approximately 60,000 First Nations people living off-reserve, Métis and Inuit living in urban, rural and remote areas in Canada.

Although the Aboriginal Peoples Survey was primarily conducted off-reserve, First Nations communities in the Yukon and Northwest Territories were included.

5. Why did you not conduct the survey on reserves?

Statistics Canada recognizes the importance of collecting quality and representative data on First Nations people living on reserve. However, a mutually agreed-upon process with First Nations communities must first be in place, as it is essential to achieving good participation.

Statistics Canada will work with its federal partners and First Nations leadership to explore the possibilities of conducting surveys on-reserve in the future.

6. Is this representative of Aboriginal Peoples given that it was not conducted on reserves?

Although the survey cannot produce data for the on-reserve population, it is representative of First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit. Having information about these populations is important for decision-making and research.

7. How did you identify Aboriginal Peoples for this survey?

The Aboriginal Peoples Survey is a post-censal survey, meaning responses to the census were used to identify people to be included in it.

A random sample was selected from the list of people aged six and over who were reported to be:

• North American Indian, Métis or Inuit person;
• registered or treaty Indians;
• members of an Indian Band or First Nation;

A sample of people who had Aboriginal ancestors was also included.

8. How does the Aboriginal Peoples Survey differ from the census?

The census collects basic socio-demographic information about all Canadians.
The Aboriginal Peoples Survey followed up with selected people who were identified as an Aboriginal person.

The Aboriginal Peoples Survey collects more detailed information on a variety of topics allowing for a deeper analysis of issues relevant to the Aboriginal population.

9. Were Aboriginal Peoples involved?

A number of Aboriginal organizations were involved throughout the survey process, starting from the design of the questionnaire to the data products. The expertise and experience they provided was very important to the Aboriginal Peoples Survey process. These organizations included:

• Congress of Aboriginal Peoples
• Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
• Métis National Council
• National Association of Friendship Centres
• Native Women's Association of Canada

10. How were the data collected?

Personal interviews were conducted in remote areas and telephone interviews were conducted elsewhere. When possible, Aboriginal interviewers conducted the survey.

11. Was the survey conducted in Aboriginal languages?

Yes; the questions were translated into 16 different Aboriginal languages, including five Inuit dialects, three Cree dialects, Ojibwe, Dene and Mi'kmaq, among others. Where required, interpreters conducted the survey in other Aboriginal languages.

12. For what geographic level are data available?

National, provincial and territorial data will be available. There will be some community-level data available for communities with large Aboriginal populations. Data will be available for each of the four Inuit Land Claim regions. Data will also be available for certain census metropolitan areas in Canada.

Statistics Canada does not release any information that could potentially identify an individual. For geographic areas where there are small population sizes, it is not possible to release the information.

13. What about Aboriginal children under the age of six?

The Aboriginal Children's Survey was conducted at the same time as the Aboriginal Peoples Survey and collected information about Aboriginal children under the age of six. The 2006 Aboriginal Children's Survey results were released on October 29, 2008.

14. Can this information on children and youth be compared with the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY)?

A number of the questions asked in the Aboriginal Peoples Survey were also asked in the NLSCY, so for some topics it may be possible to make comparisons to the general population.