Indigenous Peoples of Canada
Who are considered the descendants of Canada’s original inhabitants?
Indigenous or Aboriginal Peoples (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis)
What year was the Indian Act created?
1876
What is the term for stories passed down orally to teach lessons?
Oral traditions or oral stories
What is the name for the official count of a country’s population, done every five years in Canada?
The census
What do you call people who move into a country to live permanently?
Immigrants
Which Indigenous group traditionally lives in the Arctic regions of Canada?
The Inuit
What is the name for land set aside for the use of a First Nation community?
A reserve
What national celebration highlights Indigenous culture through dance, music, and art each June?
National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21)
What do we call the number of births per 1,000 people per year?
Birth rate
What do we call the formula that adds natural increase rate and net migration rate to calculate total population growth?
Population growth rate
What does the term First Nation refer to?
MixeFirst Nation refers to Indigenous peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis.d Indigenous and European ancestry
Which 1985 amendment (law/bill) restored status to Indigenous women who had lost it after marrying non-Indigenous men?
Bill C-31
What is one example of Indigenous-led land protection or conservation in Canada today?
Indigenous Guardians Programs
Co-managed protected areas
First Nations land reclamation projects
Inuit-led Arctic conservation areas
What does the dependency load measure in a population?
The percentage of people who are dependent — children (0–14) and seniors (65+) — compared to working-age adults.
Why is immigration important to Canada’s population growth today?
Because immigration is the main source of Canada’s population growth, due to low birth rates.
What is the main difference between Status and Non-Status Indians under the Indian Act?
Status Indians are legally recognized under the Indian Act; Non-Status Indians are not.
What was the main purpose of treaty-making for the British after 1759?
After 1759, the British used treaties primarily to gain control of land for settlement and resource use.
Why is language revitalization important for Indigenous communities?
Because language preserves culture, identity, knowledge, worldview, and intergenerational connections.
What type of population pyramid has a wide base and a high number of children?
An expanding pyramid
What stage of the Demographic Transition Model is Canada currently in?
Stage 4 of the Demographic Transition Model (low birth and death rates)
What is one major reason the early treaties were considered unfair to Indigenous peoples?
Early treaties were often unfair because Indigenous peoples were misled, the written versions didn’t match what was explained, and promises (like land, resources, or support) were not kept.
Name two major ways the Indian Act historically controlled Indigenous peoples’ lives.
Controlled who was a “Status Indian”
Restricted movement with the pass system
Banned cultural ceremonies (e.g., Potlatches)
Controlled band councils and leadership
Imposed residential schools
Controlled land, resources, and finances
How have Indigenous communities demonstrated resilience in the face of historical challenges such as residential schools?
Through language revival, cultural renewal, legal challenges, education programs, reclaiming land, and rebuilding communities despite past harms.
Using 2021 data: Canada’s birth rate was about 9.6 per 1,000, and its death rate was about 8.15 per 1,000. What was Canada’s natural increase rate (per 1,000 people)?
Natural increase rate = birth rate – death rate
→ 9.6 − 8.15 ≈ 1.45 per 1,000 people
As Canada’s population ages, what is one major challenge this creates for the economy or society?
A shrinking workforce
Higher healthcare and pension costs
Labour shortages
Increased pressure on social services
Fewer working-age taxpayers supporting more seniors