2. Women's Perspectives - Christian Aboriginal Infrastructure ...

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This is not to say that Aboriginal women enjoyed prominent roles in all pre-contact societies. For example, we note that decisions among Inuit concerned mainly hunting and fishing. Leadership was organized but not institutionalized. Decisions were most often made by consensus, with one individual (usually a man) putting the group decision into action. 3 With the onset of colonization, the position and role of Aboriginal women were undermined by imported ideas and values that displaced and devalued them: Before colonization, Aboriginal peoples had social and political organizations with distinct social classes, which ranged from simpler structures to highly complex systems of social order, social control in governments. Every individual filled a particular role and had a specific purpose within the community; life unfolded with much harmony. Since European contact, our traditions, dignity and self-respect have been systematically taken away from us. Joyce Courchene Indigenous Women's Collective of Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba, 3 June 1993 * The imposition of the Indian Act over the last 120 years, for example, is viewed by many First Nations women as immensely destructive. Residential schools and relocations subjected Aboriginal communities to such drastic changes in their way of life that their culture suffered immeasurable damage. In Volume 1, particularly Chapters 8 to 13, we examined these areas of federal policy and action. In this volume, we focus on their impact on Aboriginal women. We begin with a brief demographic overview. Of the total Aboriginal population of 811,400, an estimated 51 per cent (414,100) are women. 4 As of 1991, women outnumbered men in each of the Aboriginal groups except Inuit. The female-to-male ratio is higher among Aboriginal people than in the general population of Canada (96.1 versus 97.7 males per 100 females — see Table 2.1). Over time the ratio will become higher for females; that is, Aboriginal women will represent an even greater share of the Aboriginal population and, by the year 2016, even Inuit women will outnumber Inuit men. The reason Inuit men outnumbered Inuit women in the past, particularly in the older age groups, is not well understood. It may have to do with differential mortality patterns experienced by the population at an earlier point in history. One of the more dramatic demographic changes anticipated in the next 25 years is that Aboriginal women's share of the population, both in the labour force age group and in the older age group (65+), will increase. In particular, the share of Aboriginal women aged 65 and over will more than double by 2016, rising from 1.7 per cent of the Aboriginal population to 3.9 per cent, while the share of men in that age group will reach only 2.8 per cent (Table 2.1). TABLE 2.1 Comparison of Demographic Characteristics, 1991 and 2016 8
Total Canadian Total Aboriginal 1 Registered NAI Population, 1991 26,999,040 720,600 438,000 Males per 100 Females 97.7 96.1 96.2 Age Groups F M F M F M (% of population, 1991) 0-14 years 10.3 10.8 18 18.5 17 17.5 15-64 years 33.9 34.1 31.3 29 32 29.9 65+ years 6.2 4.7 1.7 1.5 1.9 1.7 Projected Population, 2016 2 37,119,800 1,093,400 665,600 Males per 100 Females 98.2 95.5 94.6 Age Groups F M F M F M (% of population, 2016) 0-14 years 8.2 8.6 11.9 12.5 10.4 10.9 15-64 years 33.4 33.9 35.3 33.6 36.6 34.8 65+ years 8.9 7 3.9 2.8 4.3 2.9 Life Expectancy at Birth, 1991 (years) 80.9 74.6 75 67.9 74 66.9 Age Groups F M F M F M Fertility Rate, 1991 (births/woman) 3 1.7 — — — 2.9 — Location (% of population, 1991) On-reserve 4 — — 47.4 52.6 47.4 52.6 Off-reserve — — 52.9 47.1 55.9 44.1 Urban off-reserve — — 54 46 56.1 43.9 Rural off-reserve — — 50.6 49.4 55.1 44.9 TABLE 2.1 Comparison of Demographic Characteristics, 1991 and 2016 (continued) Non-Registered NAI Métis Inuit Population, 1991 112,600 139,400 37,800 Males per 100 Females 93.4 96 104.2 Age Groups F M F M F M (% of population, 1991) 0-14 years 20.6 20.9 18.5 18.8 19.4 22.5 15-64 years 29.7 26.2 31.1 28.8 28.5 27.3 65+ years 1.4 1.2 1.4 1.4 1.1 1.2 9
Page 1: VOLUME 4 Perspectives and Realities
Page 5 and 6: very different from the proportion
Page 7 and 8: percentage of women 15 years and ol
Page 9 and 10: Forestry and logging 4.2 0.3 0.9 0.
Page 11 and 12: We have stated our belief that the
Page 13 and 14: people. Right now it is very diffic
Page 15 and 16: Aboriginal communities. Many feel t
Page 17 and 18: identity and everything to do with
Page 19 and 20: property, his chattels. Unlike her
Page 21 and 22: highlights the irony of the officia
Page 23 and 24: The marrying out provisions that ha
Page 25 and 26: the property and later obtained an
Page 27 and 28: The impact of Bill C-31 was enormou
Page 29 and 30: 3.3 The Indian Act and Bill C-31: A
Page 31 and 32: • section 6(1)(a): this is a gran
Page 33 and 34: The establishment of categories for
Page 35 and 36: ands (those that were not were on a
Page 37 and 38: In addition, because the number of
Page 39 and 40: Another problem is that the appeal
Page 41 and 42: husbands. In this regard, Indian af
Page 43 and 44: put forth, such as introducing new
Page 45 and 46: which is dealt with through alcohol
Page 47 and 48: The inequalities in health and well
Page 49 and 50: In Volume 3, Chapter 3, we proposed
Page 51 and 52: ignored, or inadequately dealt with
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Some Aboriginal women spoke to us d
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Lillian Sanderson La Ronge Native W
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In that chapter, we recommended tha
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Discussions on the patriation of th
Page 61 and 62:
Throughout our hearings, when Abori
Page 63 and 64:
The incorporation of the whole circ
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mechanism for the democratic proces
Page 67 and 68:
Testimony has revealed the strong d
Page 69 and 70:
their own political institutions, t
Page 71 and 72:
The living conditions of many Abori
Page 73 and 74:
Martha Greig Vice-President, Pauktu
Page 75 and 76:
on our own….We started one and th
Page 77 and 78:
Aboriginal women reminded us that t
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Many Aboriginal women see their eco
Page 81 and 82:
Our analysis of employment developm
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solving and decision making are hol
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Secondly — All persons intermarri
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29 Letter from Deputy Superintenden
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48 Bill C-31 Summary Report, p. 5.
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76 Subsection 10(2) of Bill C-31 st
Page 93 and 94:
96 NwAC v. Canada (1992) 3 F.C. 192
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