andy siggner & vivian o’donnell, statistics canada

Andy Siggner & Vivian O’Donnell, Statistics Canada

Presented at the Joint Session of Canadian Population Society, Canadian Association of Geographers, Canadian Indigenous Native

Studies AssociationUniversity of Toronto,

May 30, 2002

Understanding the Aboriginal Peoples Survey of 2001:

The Process, Content and Geographic Coverage

Aboriginal Peoples SurveyAboriginal Peoples Survey

• First conducted in 1991

• Key source of data for the Royal Commission on Aboriginal People

• Included in RCAP recommendations

• Statistics Canada mandated to complete a second APS in Gathering Strength, the federal government’s Aboriginal Action Plan

APS Implementation CommitteeAPS Implementation Committee

• Consultation with Aboriginal organizations on the APS led to the creation of an Implementation Committee

• Established to direct the APS in April 1999

• Meets monthly

• Makes decisions regarding the content of the survey, geographic areas, testing strategies, and output formulas

APS Implementation CommitteeAPS Implementation Committee

• Assembly of First Nations (active member until spring 2001)

• Congress of Aboriginal Peoples

• Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami

• Métis National Council

• National Association of Friendship Centres

• Native Women’s Association of Canada

• Two federal government representatives in addition to two Statistics Canada representatives

• A provincial/territorial representative (ex-officio)

• An Elder/facilitator

Aboriginal Peoples SurveyAboriginal Peoples Survey

• The Aboriginal Peoples Survey (APS) is a post-censal survey

• A selection of people who reported on the census having at least one of the following:

*Aboriginal identity

*Aboriginal ancestry

*Registered or treaty Indian status

*Band membership

CollectionCollection

• Phase 1, which was completed October to December 2001, covered the population that identified as Aboriginal on their census form, and/or reported registered or treaty Indian status and/or reported band membership. Sample size was approximately 108,000.

• Phase 2, which is currently being collected, covers the population that reported Aboriginal ancestry but no identity on their census form. Sample size is approximately 14,000.

• The total sample is approximately 12% of the Aboriginal population

What type of data will be available?What type of data will be available?

The Aboriginal Peoples Survey is comprised of different questionnaires:

• Adult Core Questionnaire

• Children and Youth Questionnaire

• Métis Supplement

• Arctic Supplement

Adult Core QuestionnaireAdult Core Questionnaire

The Adult Core Questionnaire contains the following sections:

• Education

• Language

• Labour

• Income

•Health

•Communication Technology

•Mobility

•Housing

Children and Youth QuestionnaireChildren and Youth Questionnaire

The Children & Youth Questionnaire contains the following sections:

• Demographics

• General Health

• Health Care Utilization

• Activities of Daily Living and Medical Conditions

• Physical Injuries

•Dental Care

•Nutrition

•Education

•Social Activities & Relationships

•Language

•Child Care Arrangements

•Household Data

Métis SupplementMétis Supplement

The Métis Supplement is administered to respondents who report Métis identity or ancestry. It contains the following sections (in addition to the Core components):

• Family Background

• Household Information

•Cultural Background

•Health

Arctic SupplementArctic Supplement

The Arctic Supplement is administered to respondents residing in northern communities. It contains the following sections (in addition to the Core components):

• Household and Harvesting Activities

• Personal Wellness

• Community Wellness and Social Participation

OutputsOutputs

• There will be an enormous amount of information, and there are many options as to how to produce and distribute the information so that it is useful

• Planning for dissemination is underway

Step-by-Step TimelineStep-by-Step Timeline

J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N DCOLLECTION

Phase IPhase II

CAPTUREPhase IPhase II

PROCESSINGCoding PreparationEditing PreparationProductionCensus Match

WEIGHTINGCERTIFICATION OF DATADISSEMINATION

IC Discussion Prep. of Release ProductsRelease Day TablesBasic Table SeriesDetailed cross tabulationsCommunity ProfilesBackgrounders/fact sheetsTheme and geography based analytical publicationsBriefs, research articles and other analytical products

2002 2003

Product possibilities...Product possibilities...

User’s Guide: This guide will provide information related to the development of the survey, the methodology that was used to choose the sample, the questionnaires and the various data products.

Tables series: Simple tables could be provided in paper form but the larger, more complex tables would be provided in an electronic format.

Fact Sheets and Backgrounders: These 2–3 page information sheets could provide a snapshot of a particular theme or Aboriginal group at various levels of geography.

More products…More products…

Community Profiles: Profiles could include data highlights of the community accompanied by some basic charts and graphs. This information could be enhanced with Census data. These would most likely be in paper and electronic formats.

Public Use Microdata File - an electronic product (CD-ROM) of micro data produced from the 2001 APS. Data manipulation can be performed with statistical software such as SAS or SPSS or a database or spreadsheet software.

GeographyGeography

• Off reserve population

• On reserve population

• Aboriginal origin-only population

• Publishing on and off reserve data

Off Reserve PopulationOff Reserve Population

Data will be available for the Aboriginal population residing off-reserve at the following geographic areas:

• NATIONAL• PROVINCIAL (Note: Atlantic provinces will be grouped)

• SUB-PROVINCIAL (for example, rural and urban breakdowns)

• COMMUNITY LEVEL • 25 Métis Communities• 50 Inuit Communities• 10 selected large urban centres• 15 communities that had 40% or more Aboriginal

population and at least 250 Aboriginal people

On-Reserve PopulationOn-Reserve Population

• The sample selection process focussed on large reserve communities

• Community-level data for approximately 120 First Nations who participated will be available, and are of very good quality

• Potential problems in aggregating data to the provincial or national level

• Census will remain a key source of data for the Aboriginal population residing on reserve

Aboriginal “Origin-only” PopulationAboriginal “Origin-only” Population

• A portion of the population to be surveyed by the APS did not report Aboriginal identity on the census, but did report some Aboriginal origin

• Data for this population will be available at the national and provincial levels

For more information:For more information:

www.statcan.ca

www. apsurvey.ca

APPENDIXAPPENDIX

Ancestry/Origin PopulationAncestry/Origin Population

2001 Census of CanadaQuestion on Ethnic or Cultural Group

17.Specify as many groupsas applicable.

19

20

21

22

While most people in Canada view themselves as Canadians, information on their ancestral origins has been collected since the 1901 Census to capture the changing composition of Canada's diverse population. Therefore, this question refers to the origins of the person's ancestors.

To which ethnic or cultural group(s) did this person's ancestors belong?les ancêtres de cette personne appartenaient-ils ?For example, Canadian, French, English, Chinese, Italian, German, Scottish, Irish, Cree, Micmac, Métis, Inuit (Eskimo), East Indian, Ukranian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese, Filipino, Jewish, Greek, Jamaican, Vietnamese, Lebanese, Chilean, Somali, etc.

Identity PopulationIdentity Population


The Adult Core Questionnaire contains the following sections:

• Education

• Language

• Labour

• Income

•Health

•Communication Technology

•Mobility

•Housing


• Education Section• Highest level of schooling

• Reasons for not completing high school/post secondary schooling

• Currently attending school

• Aboriginal content in schooling (Aboriginal teachers, use of Aboriginal language, taught an Aboriginal language, accuracy of Aboriginal content in curriculum)

• Location of schools (within or outside community)

• Financial Assistance to attend post-secondary

• Distance education

• Residential School


• Language Section

• Aboriginal Languages understood or spoken

• Level of ability to understand, speak, read and write

• Extent of use of Aboriginal languages at home, school, work and other places

• Availability of services (for example, health, education, justice) in Aboriginal languages

• Importance to keep, learn or re-learn Aboriginal languages


• Labour Activity

• Currently working

• Occupation and industry

• More than one job

• Reasons for not currently working, not working full-time

• Harvesting activities (hunting, fishing, gathering wild plants, trapping)


• Income

• Source of income (such as paid employment, employment insurance, pensions, social assistance, other sources)


• Health

• Self-rated health• Contact with health professionals (for example, family doctor, nurse)• Access to Aboriginal healing practices• Activity limitations (difficulties with activity because of health problems)• Chronic conditions (for example, diabetes, arthritis, bronchitis, cancer,

high blood pressure, hepatitis, kidney disease, tuberculosis)• HIV/AIDS (testing, treatment)• Fertility/pregnancy (Number of children)• Height and Weight• Smoking Activity• Alcohol consumption• Social support• Opinions about social problems


• Communication Technology

• Technology use (satellite dish, cable TV, cell phone, ATM, debit card)

• Use of computer• Location of computer use (for example, at

home, work, at library)• Internet use• Location of Internet use


• Mobility

• Number of moves in the past 5 years• Reasons for moving• How long been in present location• Number of temporary absences• Reasons for temporary absences (for example, work,

school, illness)


• Housing

• Features in the home (telephone, running water, smoke detector etc.)

• Water available safe for drinking• Source of heat in the home• Special features to assist with a health condition• In need of major repairs• Rented/owned• Social housing waiting list• Home insurance coverage


The Children & Youth Questionnaire contains the following sections:

• Identification

• Demographics

• General Health

• Health Care Utilization

• Activities of Daily Living and Medical Conditions

• Physical Injuries

•Dental Care

•Nutrition

•Education

•Social Activities & Relationships

•Language

•Child Care Arrangements

•Household Data


• Demographic Section

• Relationship of respondent to child

• Aboriginal ancestry

•Origin through father, mother, grandfathers, grandmothers


• General Health Section

• General health status

• Height and weight

• BMI

• Level of physical activity

• Birth Weight

• Breast fed


• Health Care Utilization Section

• Contact with pediatrician, general practitioner, medical specialist,

and public health nurse

•Seen or talked with

•Where contact took place

• Type of care needed

• Overnight stays in a hospital

• Contact with traditional healer, psychologist, child welfare or aid

worker, and/or other trained person


• Activities of Daily Living and Medical Conditions Section

• Limitation of Activity at home, school and other places

• Chronic conditions (allergies, bronchitis, T.B., diabetes, ear

infections, F.A.S./F.A.E., asthma)

• Medications taken (traditional medicines, inhalers, ritalin or any

other medication)


• Physical Injuries Section

• Presence of injury

• Injured in the past 12 months

• Type of injury, most serious injury and cause of injury


• Dental Care Section

• Occurrence of last dental care

• Type of care required

• Received required dental care

• If did not receive dental care, why not (wait time, transportation,

cost, etc.)


• Nutrition Section

• How often breakfast is eaten per week

• Quality of nutrition

• Variety/frequency of food consumed (wild meat, processed meat,

milk, eggs, vegetables, potatoes, breads, candy, etc.)


• Education Section

• School attendance (currently or not currently attending school)

• Attendance at early education development

• Current Grade level

• School history (advanced/repeated a grade, received awards,

suspended/expelled from school)

• Types of schools Attended (Preschool, Aboriginal specific

programs)

• Reasons why not attending

•Limitations at school (factors, help received)


• Social Activities and Relationships Section

• Leisure activities (sports, music lessons, clubs, cultural activities,

job, t.v., computer, video games, etc.)

• Quality of relationships (parents, siblings, teachers, and other kids)

• Types of worries and causes


• Language Section

• Importance of Aboriginal language

• Ability to speak and understand an Aboriginal language

• Who provides help in learning language


• Childcare Arrangements Section

• Main child care arrangement

• Time spent per week in main type of childcare


• Household Data Section

• Socio-Demographic information (age and sex)

• Highest level of schooling

• Relative’s Attendance at Residential Schools

• Number of persons in household

• Siblings living in/out of household

• One or two parent household

• Type of household income (Paid Employment, Self Employment,

E.I., Canada Pension, Social Assistance)

• Number of household members receiving income


The Métis Supplement is administered to respondents who report Métis identity or ancestry. It contains the following sections (in addition to the Core components):

• Family Background

• Household Information

•Cultural Background

•Health


• Family Background Section

• Community of birth of respondent, mother and father

• Use of French and Aboriginal languages in the household

• Aboriginal ancestry of mother and father

• Bill C-31

• Removal of children

• Childcare arrangements


• Household Information Section

• Marital status

• Ancestry of spouse/partner

• Use of Aboriginal languages in the home


• Cultural Background Section

• Métis cultural activities

• Traditional activities (hunting, fishing, gathering, trapping,

outfitting)


• Health Section

• Physical check-up

• Testing for diabetes, high blood pressure, mammogram

• Leisure activities

• Physical activities (walking, bicycling, etc.)

• Non-physical activities (watching television, playing video

games)

• Depression

• Spirituality

• Health Care Use


The Arctic Supplement is administered to respondents residing in northern communities. It contains the following sections (in addition to the Core components):


• Personal Wellness

• Community Wellness and Social Participation



• Paid work (full-time/part-time employment, self employment)

• Unpaid work (taking care of children, cooking meals, etc.)

• Harvesting country food

• Equipment for harvesting activities

• Use of country food (eaten, shared, sold, etc.)

• Household income from harvesting activities


• Personal Wellness Section

• Social support (in times of need, for advice, etc.)

• Community ties


• Community Wellness and Social Participation Section

• Degree of satisfaction with conditions in community (such as job

opportunities, quality of education, quality of housing, etc.)

• Participation in community (volunteer work, attendance at public

meetings)

• Vote in recent elections

andy siggner & vivian o’donnell, statistics canada

Documents

aboriginal peopleincluded

aboriginal organizations

following sections

core components

mtis identity

census form

sample size

total sample