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Statistics Canada - Government of Canada
Table 1  Young Aboriginal language speakers are increasingly likely to acquire their language as a second language rather than as a mother tongue
  Total population in 2001 with… Index of second language acquisition1 % of all speakers who are second language speakers
Ability to speak Second language All Ages Under 25 Age 25-44 Age 45-64 Age 65+
Total Aboriginal languages
239,620
47,155
119
20
23
20
16
12
Algonquian Family
Cree
97,230
20,160
121
21
25
20
16
14
Ojibway
30,505
7,960
130
26
40
27
18
11
Montagnais-Naskapi
10,470
605
106
6
5
6
6
3
Micmac
8,955
1,740
117
19
26
19
10
9
Oji-Cree
10,475
680
106
6
9
5
2
2
Attikamekw
4,955
210
105
4
6
3
1
0
Blackfoot
4,495
1,600
149
36
74
38
17
8
Algonquin
2,425
585
130
24
31
22
18
10
Malecite
1,095
415
133
38
46
53
25
13
Algonquian n.i.e. (includes Michif)
995
415
154
42
70
48
35
22
Inuktitut
32,775
3,445
110
11
11
10
11
9
Athapaskan Family
Dene
10,585
985
110
9
11
8
7
4
South Slave
2,205
695
151
32
54
31
19
10
Dogrib
2,285
355
119
16
23
9
11
6
Carrier
2,055
750
142
36
68
49
21
13
Chipewyan
940
270
144
29
64
29
19
17
Athapaskan, n.i.e.
1,690
615
140
36
58
41
25
13
Chilcotin
1,145
220
113
19
42
16
7
0
Kutchin-Gwich'in (Loucheux)
500
180
137
36
73
53
24
21
North Slave (Hare)
1,030
165
119
16
27
17
6
8
Dakota/Sioux Family
4,955
815
115
16
20
16
14
8
Salish Family
Salish, n.i.e.
3,020
1,565
157
52
83
65
30
22
Shuswap
1,255
590
154
47
71
59
24
23
Thompson(Ntlakapamux)
720
315
152
44
85
61
30
16
Tsimshian Family
Gitksan
1,320
370
132
28
77
33
14
10
Nishga
915
430
153
47
86
70
35
4
Tsimshian
505
160
117
32
0
46
38
20
Wakashan Family
Wakashan, n.i.e.
1,270
450
130
35
80
48
26
13
Nootka
505
160
109
32
79
64
13
13
Iroquoian Family
Mohawk
755
405
178
54
80
48
38
18
Iroquoian, n.i.e.
250
105
102
42
50
40
40
25
Haida Isolate
270
145
164
54
78
71
38
29
Kutenai Isolate
220
90
129
41
67
55
7
29
Tlingit Isolate
230
130
219
57
83
77
42
11
Aboriginal languages, n.i.e.
1,400
740
159
53
61
61
51
31
n.i.e. Not included elsewhere.
1. See "What you should know about this study" for concepts and definitions.
Note: For total Aboriginal languages combined, Index of Second Language Acquistion is based on total number of responses, since some respondents are able to speak more than one Aboriginal language. Due to incomplete enumeration of reserves, special caution should be exercised when using data for the Iroquoian family of languages.
Source: Statistics Canada, 1996 and 2001 Censuses of Population.