In the Constitution Act of 1982, the term “aboriginal peoples of Canada” is defined as including three groups: Indians, Inuit, and Métis. The term is used to refer to First Nations, Inuit, and Métis collectively. It should not be used to describe only one or two of the groups. 

To some, the term "Aboriginal" is considered to be controversial, because the prefix “ab” means “not” or “away from”. Therefore, the word aboriginal can be interpreted as meaning "un" original, or not of original peoples. 

Assimilation is the process whereby individuals or groups of differing ethnic heritage are absorbed into the dominant culture of a society. The process of assimilation involves taking on the traits of the dominant culture to such a degree that the assimilating group becomes socially indistinguishable from other members of the society. Assimilation may be compelled through force or undertaken voluntarily. 

 An Ally is someone who recognizes inequalities among Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities and takes social action to break down barriers that continue to negatively affect indigenous communities. 

The Treaty 7 Indigenous Ally Toolkit created by Foundation Calgary outlines information to support and education allies. 

First Nation is a term used to identify Indigenous Peoples of Canada who are neither Métis nor Inuit. According to the Assembly of First Nations, “this term came into common usage in the 1970s to replace the term ‘Indian’ and ‘Indian band’ which many found offensive. Many communities have also replaced ‘band’ with ‘First Nation’ in their names. Despite its widespread use, there is no legal definition for this term in Canada.” 

“First Nations people” applies to both Status and Non-Status Indians, so it is important to be careful with its usage, especially if in reference to programs that are specifically for Status Indians. Similarly, caution should be used when using this term, as many First Nations communities have publicly and politically expressed that they now prefer the term “Indigenous.” First Nation is acceptable as both a noun and a modifier. It can be: 

• Used to refer to a single band (First Nation) or many bands (First Nations). 

• Used in reference to a specific geographic location 

• Used instead of “Indian” when referring to an individual 

“First Nation community” is a respectful alternative phrase. The term should not be used as a synonym for Aboriginal Peoples, because it does not include Inuit or Métis. 

First Nation can be used as both a noun and a modifier. First Nation can be used to describe a band and the plural form (First Nations) can be used to describe many bands.  The term First Nation can also be used to describe a specific geographic location such as: Stoney Nakoda Nation, Tsuu T'iina Nation, or Siksika Nation. 

The term Indian is considered a misnomer to many people since it was inaccurately used by Christopher Columbus to identify that natives in the New World, when he believed himself to have arrived in India. Indian is defined in the Indian Act and refers to the legal identity of a First Nations person who is registered under the Indian Act. As a result, you may hear some First Nations people refer to themselves as "Indians," this may be a deliberate way to  maintain their legal rights under the Indian Act. 

There are a variety of Indian status:

• Bill C-31 Indian

• Registered/Status Indian - A First Nation person who meets the requirements and is registered with the Canadian government under the Indian Act 

• Non-status Indian - • A First Nations person who is not registered or who has lost their status under the Indian Act. 

• Treaty Indian - A status Indian whose ancestors signed a treaty with the Crown.  

• Non-treaty Indian 

A collective noun for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people in Canada. Also, an inclusive term used to describe the diversity of First Peoples in an international context. While “Indigenous” may be considered the most inclusive term since it identifies peoples in similar circumstances without respect to national boundaries or local conventions, it remains a contentious term since it defines groups primarily in relation to their colonizers.  

Although Indigenous people are defined as having a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory and their cultural or historical distinctiveness from other populations, these rights are not recognized by all states. The term ‘Indigenous’ is consistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.  

Inuit are an Indigenous circumpolar people found across the North. The Inuit are one of three recognized Aboriginal peoples in the Constitution Act, 1982. 

In Canada, Inuit primarily live in the Inuit Nunangat – the Canadian Inuit homeland. The term “Inuit Nunangat” refers to the land, water, and ice of their homeland and describes the Inuit territory comprised of four regions. Nearly half of the Inuit live in Nunavut, followed by Nunavik in northern Quebec, Nunatsiavut in Labrador, and the Inuvialuit region in the western Arctic. The majority of the Canadian Inuit population lives in 53 communities spread over two provinces and two territories. Inuit have lived in this homeland since time immemorial. 

The word “Inuit,” which means “people,” is sometimes confused with the Innu. The Innu are another Indigenous People who live primarily in northeastern Quebec and southern Labrador and whose language belongs to the larger Algonquian language group. 

Note: 

• Use “Inuk” to refer to an individual person. 

• Use “Inuuk” when referring to two people. 

• Use “Inuit” when referring to three or more people. 

• In the Inuktitut language, the term “Inuit” translates to “the people,” making the term “Inuit people” redundant. 

Métis are included as one of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, which reads: 

•  35 (1) The existing aboriginal and treaty rights of the aboriginal peoples of Canada are hereby recognized and affirmed. 

•  (2) in this Act, the aboriginal peoples of Canada includes the Indian, Inuit and Métis peoples of Canada. 

The Métis emerged as a distinct people or nation in the historic Northwest during the course of the 18th and 19th centuries. This area is known as the “historic Métis Nation Homeland,” which includes the 3 Prairie Provinces and extends into Ontario, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories and the northern United States. This historic Métis Nation had recognized Aboriginal title, which the Government of Canada attempted to extinguish through the issuance of “scrip” and land grants in the late 19th and 20th centuries. 

The Métis National Council consequently adopted the following definition of “Métis” in 2002: “Métis” means a person who self-identifies as Métis, is distinct from other Aboriginal peoples, is of historic Métis Nation Ancestry and who is accepted by the Métis Nation.” 

In 2003, the Supreme Court of Canada confirmed that Métis are a rights-bearing Aboriginal people. Its judgement in R. v. Powley set out the components of a Métis definition for the purpose of claiming Aboriginal rights under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982. These are: 

• Self-identification as a member of a Métis community. 

• Ancestral connection to the historic Métis community whose practices ground the right in question 

• Acceptance by the modern community with continuity to the historic Métis community 

Native is a general term that refers to a person or thing that has originated from a particular place. The term “native” does not denote a specific Aboriginal ethnicity (such as First Nations, Métis, or Inuit). In the United States, the term “Native American” is in common usage to describe Aboriginal peoples. In Canada, the term “Aboriginal” or “Indigenous” is generally preferred to “Native.” Some may feel that “native” has a negative connotation and is outdated. This term can also be problematic in certain contexts, as some non-Aboriginal peoples born in a settler state may argue that they, too, are “native.”

Is it okay to say “native”?

While “native” is generally not considered offensive, it may still hold negative connotations for some. Since it is a very general, overarching term, it does not account for differentiation among distinct groups of First Nations. If you are referencing a specific Nation, it is generally considered more respectful to use another term that more specifically denotes which peoples you are referring to (ie. Cree, Stoney Nakoda, or Blackfoot).

Truth and Reconciliation identifies the work that was born in 2008 by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) through a mass litigation and outcry of survivors of residential schools and the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement (IRSSA). The process of Truth and Reconciliation is intended to bring the voice of residential school survivors forward to assist in the discovery and sharing of facts surrounding the harsh realities of the residential school system in Canada. The TRC was also intended to begin to reconcile the relationship between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous peoples and the government of Canada.

The goal of Truth and Reconciliation in Canada is to shift the national narrative away from a culture of oppression, towards a culture of reciprocity, respect, and understanding.