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Vital Signs is an annual checkup conducted by Indigenous Edmonton Community Foundation, in partnership with Edmonton Social Planning Council, to measure how the community is doing. Vital Topics are a quick look at a single issue and are timely and important to Edmonton. W MEN Unless otherwise stated, “Edmonton” refers to Census Metropolitan Area and not solely the of Edmonton. in The Indigenous population in Alberta is increasing1.5 X MORE QUICKLY than the rest of the population. Median Age

of Women • If this rate continues the population will 36.8 double by 2038 .2% .7% Non-Indigenous 53 43 • Indigenous women ARE FIRST NATION ARE MÉTIS comprise 6.7% of the 28.0 female population Indigenous

.9% 48.2% 18 HAVE REGISTERED LIVE ON RESERVE OR TREATY STATUS 10.3% HAVE AN INDIGENOUS MOTHER TONGUE Did you know? still discriminates on the basis of sex when it comes to the Indian Act. Early in 2019 the called on Canada to remove the sections that do not give women the same rights as First Nations men. While consultations have begun with the First Nations, the UN says there needs to be an end date.

Contextual Terms For the purpose of this report, references to “Indigenous” people should be understood as including First Nations, Métis and , non-status and status, on and off-reserve, recognizing that the term refers to distinct people, cultures and each with their own histories. In some cases where the research uses the word “Aboriginal,” we have chosen to substitute “Indigenous.” Resilience is a dynamic process of social/psychological adaptation and Intergenerational trauma is the transmission of historical oppression and transformation that occurs in individuals, families, communities or larger its negative consequences across generations. There is evidence of the social groups. Resilience can be considered to be as any positive outcome impact of intergenerational trauma on the health and well‐being and on in the face of historical and current stressors. Aboriginal Peoples in the health and social disparities facing Indigenous peoples in Canada and Canada have diverse narratives of resilience based on their various unique other countries. histories and cultures/languages.

Sources for these statistics are available at ecfoundation.org Education Did you know? Enrolment of Indigenous students in The Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women post-secondary education is on the rise: (IAAW) is a non-profit organization that recognizes the role, value, and achievement of Indigenous women in society and Increasing by 1,176 students in 2016/17 to 1,261 in 2017/18 at the raises awareness about the challenges and obstacles faced by and from 624 to 733 students at the University Indigenous women. IAAW is based in Edmonton and operates of . in chapters across Alberta. Their programs include: • IAAW Esquao Leadership Development Program for Indigenous women to become more involved in their communities. • E squao Youth Leadership focusing on safety, healthy relationships, current events and public speaking. • Esquao Awards that honour the significant role women 2,027 Indigenous individuals In the school year 2017-2018: play in healing and development of their communities. completed their program Esquao is the stylized version of the in the Alberta post-secondary 752 1,275 word for woman. education system. malE FEMale ECF@Work Elizabeth Fry Society of Edmonton (EFS) received $40,000 per year for 3 years for healthy housing supports for Indigenous Women to help them reintegrate after a period of Economic incarceration. These housing options provide Indigenous cultural supports, opportunities for the women to live with their children, Resilience and connections to the wider host of programming available through Elizabeth Fry Society, reducing recidivism. According to a report from university nuhelot’įne thaiyots’į nistameyimâkanak Blue Quills, economic well-being of women is holistic when it is not tied just to income but participation in living Income & Employment off the land and subsistence activities. In 2012, 19% of Indigenous women are low income, 11.9% of Indigenous women made compared to 9% of all women. clothing or footwear that year. 33.6% made arts or crafts. Median Income for Alberta Women in 2015: of Indigenous women were First Nations Métis All Women 20.0% interested, but cited a lack of $43,781 $48,929 $54,276 time or resources to do so.

Indigenous women are more Indigenous women are likelier to According to a report by IAAW and Status of Women Canada 2016, likely than Indigenous men to hold jobs in the trades compared the impact of intergenerational trauma creates barriers that hold jobs in business, finance to all women. affect income. and administration, sales and 5.3% v.s. 2.9% services occupations. • Saving and planning are traditional values that have been lost. 23.5% v.s. 5.4% • The knowledge of how to run a household, to parent, and to be A larger proportion of Indigenous In 2016 there were parented have been lost. women hold jobs in education, 58,720 female • These impacts have led to ill health (mental, physical, spiritual) law and social, community and among Indigenous people, as they were severed from knowledge government services compared Indigenous workers of self-care and health-giving lifestyles. to the total female population. in Alberta. • These factors make Indigenous people less ready to become 16.6% v.s. 14.8% employed and to stay employed.

• Reduced economic prosperity results in fewer Indigenous The top 3 areas of employment IN 2016 were: people who can qualify for home-ownership. Health care and Accommodation social assistance Retail trade and food service • We have an over-representation of Indigenous people in sub-par 10,720 7,350 6,115 housing situations.

Sources for these statistics are available at ecfoundation.org Lone IVn Canada,io Indigenousle womenn and girlsce are nearly 3X Parents more likely to experience physical or sexual violence • Indigenous women AND men are about twice as likely to be single than non-Indigenous women and girls. parents compared to their non- Indigenous counterparts. MMIWG Spousal Abuse • 12% of Indigenous women are • 16% of all Missing and Murdered • Approximately 15% of Indigenous women single mothers while 6.2% of Indigenous Women and Girls cases reported spousal violence by a current or non-Indigenous women are are from Alberta; second only to former marital or common-law partner in single mothers. B.C. (28%). the past five years, compared to 6% of non- Indigenous women. • 84% of Alberta cases are for • Indigenous women were also two times Children murder; 14% are missing cases. more likely (34%) to report having experienced emotional or financial abuse in Care 42% of cases in Alberta than non-Indigenous women (17%). Of the 10,647 children in care in are still unsolved. • Indigenous women experience more June, 2018, 70% of children and serious forms of spousal violence than youth in care are Indigenous. their non-Indigenous counterparts. This is a 1% increase compared - But, Indigenous women are less likely to to June, 2017. be murdered by a spouse than a non- Indigenous woman (29% compared to 41%). Some 225 young Albertans have died in foster care since Did you know? 2008. Of these, 131 were The “I am a Kind Man” program with Indigenous. According to the the Native Friendship Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Centre engages men within Indigenous Women and Girls: Indigenous communities to speak out against all forms of abuse • No one knows the exact number of missing toward Indigenous women. Health and murdered Indigenous women, girls and Across Canada, a significantly 2SLGBTQQIA people in Canada. higher percentage of female • Statistics show that rates of violence First Nations adults (46.5%) Homicide Rates against Métis, Inuit, and First Nations compared to male First Nations women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people • The rate of homicide for female Indigenous adults (36.4%), reported co-morbidity are much higher than for non-Indigenous victims (3.30/100,000) was five times (the presence of two or more chronic women in Canada. that of female non-Indigenous victims health conditions). • This violence amounts to a race-based (0.69/100,000) in Canada. This indicates that Indigenous women genocide that has been empowered by • Indigenous homicide rate compared to the require health care and community-based colonial structures, evidenced notably by population: supports to prevent and treat chronic the Indian Act, the , residential Calgary /100,000

illness, over and above what is currently schools, and breaches of human rights. 3% 14.77 available to them. a Edmonton 5% 9.87/100,000 Incarceration Colonization, residential schools, intergenerational trauma, poverty and addictions have What is a Gladue Report? led to an over-representation of Indigenous people in the criminal justice system both as A 1999 decision offenders and as victims. in R v.s. Gladue led to a recommendation that sentencing judges examine all possible • Indigenous women now make up more • In Canada, during the 2017/2018 year, alternatives to incarceration, with a special than 35% of the female prison population 52% of female youth admitted to consideration to be made in the cases of and the numbers are growing. correctional services were Indigenous. Indigenous offenders. The decision aimed to Average Daily Adult Female Custody Population by Indigenous Status address over-representation of Indigenous people in prisons. It stated that in order to • From 2001-02 to 2017-18, the female • More than half (53%) of the female determine an appropriate sentence, the judge Indigenous inmate population has nearly custody population in 2017-18 was must consider the background of the accused, tripled (196% increase) with an annual Indigenous. as this can often be a mitigating factor. growth rate of 7.0%.

Sources for these statistics are available at ecfoundation.org 12 Indigenous Women from Alberta you should know about...

Pearl Calahasen Nellie Carlson Melina Laboucan– Leona Makokis Métis, born in Member of the Massimo Member of the , Alberta Saddle Cree Nation Member of the Lubicon Cree First Nation Famous for: being the first Famous for: helping to Famous for: transforming the Métis woman elected to public organize the Indian Rights for Famous for: establishing University nuhelot’įne thaiyots’į office in Alberta in 1989 as an Indian Women movement in the the Pîtâpan Solar Project for nistameyimâkanak Blue MLA for the Lesser 1960s. Carlson fought tirelessly her community of Little Buffalo Quills from being only a host riding. She served for more for 18 years to be recognized in 2015. She is the owner and campus for other institutions to than 26 years. under the Indian Act after losing founder of Lubicon Solar, a becoming the first independently her status when she married company looking to build energy accredited Indigenous institution a non-Indigenous man. This alternatives in Alberta and she to offer its own degrees during Ashley Callingbull overturned oppressive laws is the host of the television her tenure as Executive Director Member of the that have harmed thousands of series Power to the People, (1982-1988), and then again as Enoch Cree First Nation First Nations women and their airing on the Aboriginal Peoples President (1992-2010). descendants. Television Network. Famous for: being the first Canadian and first Indigenous Audrey Poitras woman to win Mrs. Universe Thelma Chalifoux Georgina Lightning Métis, born near in 2015. She is an actor for Métis, born in Calgary, Alberta Member of the Point, Alberta the Canadian television series Blackstone which is currently Famous for: co-founding Famous for: becoming the available on Netflix. the Slave Lake Friendship Famous for: being the first first female president of the Centre, being the first woman to North American Indigenous Métis Nation of Alberta in 1996 receive the National Aboriginal Woman to direct a major and in 2018, was re-elected for Achievement Award, and feature film in 2008 (Older Than her eighth term. Métis, born in became the first Indigenous, America). In 2010 she received Fort McMurray, Alberta female Senator in 1997. the White House Project Epic Award for Emerging Artist.She Marlene Poitras Famous for: achieving the was the first Treaty First Nations Member of the Order of Canada in 2009 for Karen Crowshoe Woman to be initiated into the Mikisew Cree First Nation “her contributions to the growth Blackfoot from the Directors Guild of Canada - and development of Indigenous Famous for: becoming the Piikani Reserve through the Calgary Division, performing arts in Canada, as first woman to be elected as 2019. a screen and stage actor, and Famous for: being the first the Assembly of First Nations as a founding member of the Blackfoot woman to be sworn in Regional Chief of Alberta Native Theatre to the Alberta Bar. In 2018, she in 2018. Company”. In 2017, she won the became the first female First Academy of Canadian Cinema Nations provincial judge. and Television’s Earle Grey Muriel Stanley Venne Award for lifetime achievement. Métis, born in Lamont, Alberta Famous for: being appointed one of the first seven commissioners of the Alberta Human Rights Commission in 1973. She is a member of the Order of Canada (2005) and recipient of the Alberta Order of Excellence (2019).

Sources for these statistics are available at ecfoundation.org