Draude Surprised By Census Numbers

Draude Surprised By Census Numbers

Wednesday, January 16, 2008 at 13:38

 

 

Saskatchewan’s minister of First Nations and Metis Relations says she’s surprised to hear just 34% of Aboriginal people in the province are living on reserves.

 

June Draude says, aside from that revelation, the census data released yesterday was pretty much what she expected.

 

Draude says she knows none of the figures are completely accurate, but she believes it gives the province some sense of where things are.

 

Meanwhile, according to the census numbers released by Statistics Canada, the Metis population is growing much faster than other Aboriginal groups.

 

In 2006, the Metis population for Canada was estimated at almost 390,000 — which is almost twice the number recorded in 1996.

 

Central Urban Metis Federation Incorporated president Shirley Isbister says more people feel comfortable identifying themselves as Metis now, because she believes there isn’t quite as much negative stigma or racism in today’s society.

 

Isbister sees the growing Metis population in her work at CUMFI, because her group offers affordable housing.

 

She says there is a list of hundreds waiting to get into the housing CUMFI oversees.