Aboriginal Language Use On The Rise In Sask.

Aboriginal Language Use On The Rise In Sask.

Tuesday, December 04, 2007 at 13:55

 

 

The percentage of Saskatchewan citizens who list Cree or Dene as their mother tongue is up slightly, according to the latest Census figures.

 

A total of 2.7 per cent of the province’s population called Cree their first language in the 2006 Census, while 0.8 per cent listed Dene.

 

In the 2001 Census, 2.5 per cent of provincial residents stated Cree was their original language, while 0.7 per cent named Dene.

 

Statistics Canada spokesperson Sherry Wallace says the immigration rate in the province is not keeping up with the Aboriginal birth rate.

 

A total of 26,155 Saskatchewan residents said Cree was their first language — up from 24,040 in the 2001 Census.

 

There were 7,380 provincial citizens who listed Dene as their mother tongue in the 2006 Census — while 1,875 named Ojibway their first language.

 

Cree is the fourth most common first language among Saskatchewan residents — behind English, French and German.

 

Dene is the 7th most common mother tongue, while Ojibway is the 12th — the first time in recent memory it has cracked the top 12.