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Beginning in late 2006, the Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division of Statistics Canada embarked on the process of review of questions used in the Census and in surveys to produce data about Aboriginal peoples (North American Indian, Métis and Inuit). This process is essential to ensure that Aboriginal identification questions are valid measures of contemporary Aboriginal identification, in all its complexity. Questions reviewed included the following (from the Census 2B questionnaire):- the Ethnic origin / Aboriginal ancestry question;- the Aboriginal identity question;- the Treaty / Registered Indian question; and- the Indian band / First Nation Membership question.

Additional testing was conducted on Census questions with potential Aboriginal response options: the population group question (also known as visible minorities), and the Religion question. The review process to date has involved two major steps: regional discussions with data users and stakeholders, and qualitative testing. The regional discussions with over 350 users of Aboriginal data across Canada were held in early 2007 to examine the four questions used on the Census and other surveys of Statistics Canada. Data users included National Aboriginal organizations, Aboriginal Provincial and Territorial Organizations, Federal, Provincial and local governments, researchers and Aboriginal service organizations. User feedback showed that main areas of concern were data quality, undercoverage, the wording of questions, and the importance of comparability over time.

This guide is intended to help data users understand the concepts and methods used in the 2006 Aboriginal Peoples Survey (APS), which was conducted from October 2006 to March 2007.

Technical details on sampling, processing and data quality are included in this guide. Further, the guide explains the relationship between the APS and the 2006 Census and cautions users as to important differences in the data produced from these two sources. Appendix 1 provides a list of communities for which data are available while Appendix 2 contains a glossary of terms that relate to the APS. Answers to some frequently asked questions are provided in Appendix 3. Links to the 2006 APS questionnaires are found in Appendix 4.

This public use microdata file provides unaggregated data on the Aboriginal adult population - those who identify with their Aboriginal origin(s) and those who do not. For persons who identify, it contains almost 700 variables from the 1991 survey, such as, the group with which they identify, language proficiency, disability, chronic health conditions, schooling, work experience and the 1991 Census variables such as, income levels, marital status, fertility. The same census variables are provided for the population who does not identify.

This public use microdata file provides unaggregated data on the Aboriginal adult population - those who identify with their Aboriginal origin(s) and those who do not. For persons who identify, it contains almost 700 variables from the 1991 survey, such as, the group with which they identify, language proficiency, disability, chronic health conditions, schooling, work experience and the 1991 Census variables such as, income levels, marital status, fertility. The same census variables are provided for the population who does not identify.

Beginning in late 2006, the Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division of Statistics Canada embarked on the process of review of questions used in the Census and in surveys to produce data about Aboriginal peoples (North American Indian, Métis and Inuit). This process is essential to ensure that Aboriginal identification questions are valid measures of contemporary Aboriginal identification, in all its complexity. Questions reviewed included the following (from the Census 2B questionnaire):- the Ethnic origin / Aboriginal ancestry question;- the Aboriginal identity question;- the Treaty / Registered Indian question; and- the Indian band / First Nation Membership question.

Additional testing was conducted on Census questions with potential Aboriginal response options: the population group question (also known as visible minorities), and the Religion question. The review process to date has involved two major steps: regional discussions with data users and stakeholders, and qualitative testing. The regional discussions with over 350 users of Aboriginal data across Canada were held in early 2007 to examine the four questions used on the Census and other surveys of Statistics Canada. Data users included National Aboriginal organizations, Aboriginal Provincial and Territorial Organizations, Federal, Provincial and local governments, researchers and Aboriginal service organizations. User feedback showed that main areas of concern were data quality, undercoverage, the wording of questions, and the importance of comparability over time.

This guide is intended to help data users understand the concepts and methods used in the 2006 Aboriginal Peoples Survey (APS), which was conducted from October 2006 to March 2007.

Technical details on sampling, processing and data quality are included in this guide. Further, the guide explains the relationship between the APS and the 2006 Census and cautions users as to important differences in the data produced from these two sources. Appendix 1 provides a list of communities for which data are available while Appendix 2 contains a glossary of terms that relate to the APS. Answers to some frequently asked questions are provided in Appendix 3. Links to the 2006 APS questionnaires are found in Appendix 4.