What is Hidden behind the National Statistical Portraits?
Research on Aboriginal people’s socioeconomic conditions has been dominated by comparisons of Aboriginals with non-Aboriginals. In these studies, aboriginality and residence in a First Nation community are implicitly put forward as main explanatory factors. This research attempts to assess the real contribution of these two factors by demonstrating the contribution of other relevant factors. Using 2001 census data, restricting the comparison to communities located nearby First Nations communities, and using regression analyses, the analysis underlines the importance of the immediate environment and of geographic isolation in explaining the living conditions of members of the First Nations. Furthermore, it shows the importance of equality of opportunities, mainly in access to education, in the explanation of access to employment and to a higher income. Finally, the research underlines the magnitude of the problem of overcrowded dwellings in some communities.