NOTES ON  TERMINOLOGY & RECONCILIATION

First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) peoples have different and distinct cultures that vary from one another;

You may refer to FNMI peoples as Aboriginal or Indigenous, although the more accepted term at this stage is Indigenous, meaning “originating from” ;

Refer to First Nations, Métis, Inuit peoples as such and not as “Native” or “Indian” or “Red Indian” or “Squaw”, etc.;

In Canada, the term "Aboriginal" has legal implications while the term "Indigenous" is an umbrella term for all peoples living on lands that have been traditionally local to them;

Do not use phrases such as "Indian Giver", "Indian Time", "Indian Summer" and "Too many chiefs, and not enough Indians"; 

You may refer to “Indians” only when speaking of the Indian Act;

When known, try to refer to individuals by their names and their specific cultural group;

Inuk means “person” and Inuit means “people”. Saying “Inuit people” is like saying “people people”;

The Indian Act aimed to destroy FNM cultures and to assimilate; and

FNMI cultures are not frozen in time and have evolved, as have other cultures; do not make assumptions on the "authenticity" of someone status or identity, and especially not based on what is seen in the media.