Source, data history and definitions
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This report draws on data from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) to examine the labour market outcomes of Aboriginal populations for all ten provinces. 2010 marks the fourth year for which the Aboriginal identity questions were extended to all provinces in the LFS. 1 Although the LFS is a monthly survey, this analysis is based on annual data, which is more reliable for small populations such as the Aboriginal population. The Atlantic Provinces were grouped together for more reliable estimates. Also note that Aboriginal estimates for Quebec are based on a small sample size, and are therefore less reliable at the more detailed levels.
The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is a monthly household survey that collects information on labour market activity from the civilian, non-institutionalized population 15 years of age and over. The survey uses a rotating sample of approximately 54,000 households, with each household remaining in the sample for six consecutive months.
The LFS divides the working-age population into three mutually exclusive classifications: employed, unemployed, and not in the labour force. For a full listing and description of LFS variables, see Guide to the Labour Force Survey (Statistics Canada 2011).
The employment rate is the number of employed persons as a percentage of the population 15 years of age and over. The rate for a particular group (for example, youths aged 15 to 24) is the employed in that group as a percentage of the population for that group.
The unemployment rate is the unemployed as a percentage of the labour force (employed plus unemployed).
The participation rate is the number in the labour force as a percentage of the population.
Exclusion of populations living in the territories and on reserves
LFS estimates for the territories are not included in the national totals. Although the LFS produces data on the territories and includes Aboriginal identity questions, a different methodology is used than for the provinces. All data concerning the Aboriginal population in this report therefore reflect the situation of people living in the ten provinces.
The LFS does not include the population living on Indian reserves and settlements. This report includes data for First Nations people (North American Indian) living off-reserve. According to the 2006 Census, approximately 58% of the First Nations working-age population lived off-reserve.
Aboriginal identities
The Aboriginal population can be defined in various ways depending on the perspective and needs of the data user.
The Labour Force Survey measures the Aboriginal population by using the concept of Aboriginal identity. A person has an Aboriginal identity if he or she reports identifying with at least one Aboriginal group, for example, North American Indian (First Nations person), Métis or Inuit. This is based on the individual's own perception of his/her Aboriginal identity. The concept "Aboriginal identity" is not to be confused with "Aboriginal ancestry". Although the latter is measured by the Census, it is not used by the LFS. Moreover, the LFS Aboriginal identity concept differs from the Aboriginal identity concept used in the Census, as Census uses more questions to define the identity. For more information, please refer to How Statistics Canada Identifies Aboriginal Peoples /pub/12-592-x/12-592-x2007001-eng.htm.
In this report, data for First Nations people, Métis and Inuit include only those who reported a single Aboriginal identity. The term 'First Nations' is used throughout the article to refer to people who identified as North American Indian.
Although Inuit are included in the total for Aboriginal people, estimates for Inuit were not reported separately in this report since data were generally not statistically reliable at this level. The data in this report exclude the territories, where a large number of Inuit live, especially in Nunavut (15,300) and the Northwest Territories (2,900) according to the 2006 Census.
Comparison between LFS and Census:
Period covered and timeliness of release
The annual LFS estimates on Aboriginal people are available every year, whereas the Census is conducted every five years. Another difference is that LFS estimates are representative of the entire year (12 reference weeks), whereas census estimates relate to only a single week in May. The time that elapses between the collection and the release of the data is also shorter for the LFS, making it possible to draw a very current picture of the labour market for Aboriginal populations.
Population covered
The population studied is more limited in the LFS, since reserves are excluded, which constitutes an especially important difference in the case of data on Aboriginal people. Also, the estimates for the territories are not included in the national estimates.
Range of statistics
The census data undeniably provide a wider range of data than the LFS. Also, the Census defines the Aboriginal population in various ways, whereas the LFS includes only one question measuring Aboriginal identity.
Comparability of estimates
Data from the LFS and the Census are not directly comparable, since the survey concepts and methods are different. For a more complete description of the differences, see the document "Differences between the LFS and Census estimates on the labour component, July 2008", available on request at Labour Statistics Division.
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