Increasing Unemployment Rate among Aboriginal People in Canada

The growing concern of suffering indigenous and aboriginal people has become a major hindrance to our existing economic growth. Canada’s aboriginal population has lower employment rates and labour force participation as compared of Aboriginal population of Canada. Although, according to reports it has been seen that employment rates for them has little improved after a swift in the economy in 2010 and 2012. Again, in 2014 and 2015, there was an observed deterioration in the employment, participation rate, and unemployment rate. Aboriginal lives have become a difficult due to lack of access to basic amenities. Several social issues create miserable condition of leading their lives such as unemployment, health issues, water sanitation, and low access to education, and low living standard.

FORMAL LETTER

MLA
Canada Senate
April 8, 2019
Subject- regarding increasing unemployment rate among Aboriginal people in Canada
Respected sir
The growing concern of suffering indigenous and aboriginal people has become a major
hindrance to our existing economic growth. Canada’s aboriginal population has lower
employment rates and labour force participation as compared of Aboriginal population of
Canada. Although, according to reports it has been seen that employment rates for them has
little improved after a swift in the economy in 2010 and 2012. Again, in 2014 and 2015, there
was an observed deterioration in the employment, participation rate, and unemployment rate.
Aboriginal lives have become a difficult due to lack of access to basic amenities. Several
social issues create miserable condition of leading their lives such as unemployment, health
issues, water sanitation, and low access to education, and low living standard. The
unemployment rate among indigenous people is almost twice than the unemployment of non-
indigenous people (Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation, 2017). Few numbers of
jobs have led to severe poverty, low education, high health issues, and lack of basic living
necessities. Certain factors that have been contributing to high unemployment rates are poor
health and low education levels. Aboriginals often have high risk of illness and earlier deaths.
It is directly linked to social factors, social isolation, income, and health. Low education level
and poor health lowers the productivity (Symbol of statistics Canada, 2018). The competition
between the non-indigenous people and indigenous children is not even questionable because
there is a huge difference in the standard of living of both the communities. People who are
financially unstable and insecure largely suffer from nutritionally valued food and food

security. High blood pressures, women health issues, risk of mortality, poor rated physical,
high risk of domestic violence, child abuse, hazardous working condition, and health results
are some of the consequences of inadequate resources (Park, 2018).
Participation, unemployment, and employment rate in 2015
(Source: National collaborating centre for Aboriginal health, 2017)
Here are some of the report information that will highlight the current conditions of the
Aboriginals. From the above representation of data regarding the unemployment rate,
employment rate and the labour participation rate of the Canadian population. The rate of
unemployment is high as seen in the difference section. Unemployment rate is more among
the Aboriginal people. Apart from this, many unreported issues and claims have made their
life miserable (Symbol of statistics Canada, 2018). The government has to take undertake
several measures in order to improve their livelihood. Unhygienic environment condition has
become major issue among Aboriginals. On the other hand, non-indigenous women in
Canada have access to entrepreneurship, educational resources, and financial support.

Whereas, Aboriginal people have high uncertainty of living life due to lack of education and
financial instability. These people lack postsecondary level of education and underqualified
of these people did not pay them an appropriate sum of money even if they are employed and
started participating in labour markets. Although, due to growing economy, there always
exist a large number of opportunities lying in the environment but due to social isolation,
Aboriginal people are able to grab the opportunity.
This discussion is to get into your consideration that empowering authorities can help
aboriginal people to get easy access to some basic amenities with an assurance of financial
stability. In order to improve their status and financial stability, the government can
necessitate some projects of the business that will be only executed by Aboriginal population.
Middle-aged, young, and old Aboriginal can be employed near construction sites that will
further improve their knowledge and they will help to improve the infrastructure of the
country. Apart from this, they should be given every possible job opportunities that has been
given to non-indigenous people necessarily according to their qualification (Williams,
Belanger, & Prusak, 2016). The lagging behind of indigenous people in terms of lack of
employment will never allow the country to pace up its growth as various economic
indicators such as GDP, consumer price index, and purchasing power of the customers.
Therefore, it is suggested that it is important to capitalise opportunities at a same rate that is
being delivered to the non-indigenous population. People often use indigenous people in the
name of employment but this further leads to overexploitation and social abuses among
children (Kolahdooz, Nader, & Sharma, 2015). The data collected predicts that the access to
resources and conditions is compulsory to maximise the socio-economic status. Further,
government should employ their women in such area that is very near to their homes, which
will increase their likeliness to participate in labour forces. Your earlier and positive action is
required for the country and its people (Williams, R. J., Belanger, & Prusak, 2016).

Regards
(Citizen of the country)

References
Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation (2017). Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal
Corporation. Retrieved from: https://www.alpa.asn.au/
Kolahdooz, F., Nader, F., Yi, K. J., & Sharma, S. (2015). Understanding the social
determinants of health among Indigenous Canadians: priorities for health promotion
policies and actions. Global health action, 8(1), 27968.
National collaborating centre for Aboriginal health, (2017). Social determinants of the health.
Retrieved from: https://www.ccnsa-nccah.ca/docs/determinants/FS-Employment-
SDOH-2017-EN.pdf
Park, J. (2018). Over qualification Among Aboriginal Workers in Canada. The International
Indigenous Policy Journal, 9(1), pp. 20-27
Symbol of statistics Canada, (2018). Aboriginal peoples. Retrieved from:
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-402-x/2011000/chap/ap-pa/ap-pa-eng.htm
Williams, R. J., Belanger, Y. D., & Prusak, S. Y. (2016). Gambling and problem gambling
among Canadian urban Aboriginals. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 61(11), 724-
731.