About one quarter of those in Red Deer list ethnic origin as Canadian: census
OTTAWA — About one quarter the people in Red Deer consider their ethnic background to be at least partly “Canadian”, according to the latest information from the 2006 census, an indication that many people feel a connection to Canada as well as their ethnic roots.
But the number of people who declared Canadian ancestry nationwide has actually dropped since the last census — perhaps because the concept of “ethnicity” is more complex than ever in an increasingly diverse country.
Statistics Canada has been including “Canadian” as an example in its ethnic origin question in the census for 10 years now and fewer people in Red Deer identified their ancestry as Canadian than in the last census — 24.3 per cent in 2006 compared to 31.4 per cent in 2001.
The “Canadian” response compares to 53.3 per cent who listed their ancestral origins as British and 13.0 per cent who listed French — Canada’s two founding cultures.
Other popular responses (either reported alone or in combination with other origins) to the ethnic origin question in the Red Deer region included German (23.9 per cent), Ukrainian (8.6 per cent) and Dutch (Netherlands) (6.2 per cent).
Some demographic experts have said answering Canadian to the ancestry question on the census is more of a statement of patriotism than a person’s true ethnic origin. Statistics Canada didn’t list Canadian as an example until 1996 — after a public campaign by some media organizations led to a large number of write-in Canadian replies in the 1991 census.
Unlike other questions on the census forms that are based on hard facts — such as age, sex and the number of people living in one dwelling — Canadians are left to interpret their own ethnicity. The census form asked respondents about their “ethnic or cultural origins” and then offered further instructions.
“This question refers to the ethnic or cultural origin or origins of a person’s ancestors. An ancestor is someone from whom a person is descended and is usually more distant than a grandparent. Other than Aboriginal persons, most people can trace their origins to their ancestors who first came to this continent. Ancestry should not be confused with citizenship or nationality,” the census says.
The census has collected data on the ethnic origins of the population since 1871.
Statistics Canada says this reflects the long-standing, continuing and widespread demand for information about ethnocultural characteristics of the Canadian population.
The Department of Canadian Heritage uses information on ethnic origin to administer programs under the Multiculturalism Act. Statistics Canada also says the question on ethnicity provides some of the most widely requested data from the census. Governments, community groups, ethnic and cultural organizations, school boards, hospitals and researchers all use ethnicity data to assess how people of different backgrounds have integrated into life in Canada.
The census data released Wednesday also includes information on visible minorities in Red Deer.
A total of 7.1 per cent of the population of Red Deer identified themselves as a visible minority in 2006 — an increase from 2001 when the figure was 5.3 per cent.
Across Canada, 16.2 per cent of the population identified themselves as a visible minority — that’s more than five million Canadians.
The national figures show the continued ethnic diversity of the Canadian population over the last 25 years. In 1981, there were just over one million Canadians who were visible minorities, representing less than five per cent of the population.
In Red Deer, 30.0 per cent of the community’s visible minority population was born in Canada.
The largest visible minority population was Latin American (1.7 per cent), followed by Filipino (1.6 per cent) and Chinese (1.1 per cent).
The census also sheds light on the work and education of visible minorities.
Visible minorities in Red Deer had a higher employment rate than non-visible minorities — 78.3 per cent compared to 73.2 per cent.
A total of 47.5 per cent of visible minorities attained at least a high school education and 27.1 per cent had a university certificate or degree. For non-visible minorities, the figures were 62.5 per cent and 14.0 per cent.
The census takes its definition of a visible minority from the federal Employment Equity Act, which is “persons, other than Aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour.” Respondents could choose from a list that included Chinese, South Asian (such as people from India, Pakistan or Sri Lanka), black, Filipino, Latin American, Southeast Asian (such as Cambodian, Indonesian or Vietnamese), Arab, West Asian (such as Iranians and Afghans), Korean and Japanese.
Statistics Canada includes the question about visible minorities on the census form because it’s required for programs that fall under the Employment Equity Act.
The federal government believes the census is the most appropriate vehicle for providing benchmark information on the four designated groups that fall under the act — women, Aboriginal persons, the disabled and visible minorities. The data is used by employers as a benchmark to compare their workforce with the population in their area.
The census is conducted every five years by Statistics Canada and is based on information filled out by Canadians on May 16, 2006. The data released Wednesday on visible minorities and ethnicity follows information released over the last year on overall population growth, families, age and sex breakdowns of the population, immigration, a look at the country’s aboriginal communities, work and education. One more batch of census data will be released in May — detailed information about the earnings and income of Canadians.
Here’s a breakdown of most prevalent responses in ethnicity (more than one response was allowed, so percentages don’t add up to 100) and visible minority information for Red Deer and other communities in the area:
Red Deer
Ethnic origin 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
English 25,075 30.8 29.0
Canadian 19,770 24.3 31.4
Scottish 19,695 24.2 21.5
German 19,415 23.9 23.4
Irish 15,735 19.3 18.5
Total visible minority pop. 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
Latin American 1,415 1.7 0.7
Filipino 1,290 1.6 1.2
Chinese 895 1.1 0.9
Black 685 0.8 0.4
South Asian 630 0.8 0.7
Penhold
Ethnic origin 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
English 805 41.2 40.0
Canadian 615 31.5 35.1
Scottish 505 25.8 26.4
German 445 22.8 22.6
Irish 370 18.9 23.2
Total visible minority pop. 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
Filipino 10 0.5 0.6
Black 10 0.5 0.0
South Asian 10 0.5 0.9
Blackfalds
Ethnic origin 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
Canadian 1,580 34.6 30.8
Scottish 1,395 30.5 23.1
English 1,305 28.6 35.0
German 1,245 27.2 27.2
Irish 970 21.2 18.7
Total visible minority pop. 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
Filipino 20 0.4 1.1
Chinese 20 0.4 0.3
Korean 15 0.3 0.0
Lacombe
Ethnic origin 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
English 3,465 32.9 30.5
Scottish 2,855 27.1 22.7
German 2,710 25.7 24.8
Canadian 2,410 22.9 32.9
Irish 2,000 19.0 18.0
Total visible minority pop. 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
Black 115 1.1 0.6
Filipino 25 0.2 0.5
Latin American 15 0.1 0.3
South Asian 15 0.1 0.2
Japanese 10 0.1 0.3
Alix
Ethnic origin 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
Irish 280 32.9 26.1
English 275 32.4 29.1
German 270 31.8 25.5
Scottish 270 31.8 19.4
Norwegian 115 13.5 10.3
Total visible minority pop. 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
South Asian 20 2.4 0.0
Ponoka
Ethnic origin 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
English 1,830 29.0 28.0
German 1,695 26.9 28.4
Canadian 1,455 23.1 26.6
Scottish 1,390 22.0 20.4
Irish 1,160 18.4 17.2
Total visible minority pop. 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
Filipino 95 1.5 0.6
Japanese 55 0.9 0.0
Arab 45 0.7 0.0
South Asian 20 0.3 0.6
Latin American 10 0.2 0.0
Rimbey
Ethnic origin 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
English 925 42.0 26.1
Scottish 575 26.1 14.8
Canadian 560 25.4 37.6
German 500 22.7 25.8
Irish 365 16.6 16.3
Total visible minority pop. 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
No visible minorities reported 0 0 0
Sylvan Lake
Ethnic origin 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
English 3,065 30.4 26.3
Canadian 2,865 28.4 40.3
Scottish 2,560 25.4 19.2
German 2,250 22.3 23.0
Irish 2,160 21.4 16.9
Total visible minority pop. 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
Latin American 35 0.3 0.1
South Asian 35 0.3 0.0
Chinese 35 0.3 0.8
Filipino 10 0.1 0.0
Bowden
Ethnic origin 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
English 490 40.8 37.6
Scottish 320 26.7 22.2
Canadian 315 26.3 33.8
German 315 26.3 23.5
Irish 265 22.1 22.6
Total visible minority pop. 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
Chinese 10 0.8 0.0
Innisfail
Ethnic origin 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
English 2,370 33.1 35.2
Scottish 2,095 29.3 26.3
German 1,920 26.9 22.3
Canadian 1,795 25.1 28.0
Irish 1,620 22.7 22.9
Total visible minority pop. 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
Chinese 25 0.3 1.0
Korean 15 0.2 0.0
Olds
Ethnic origin 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
English 2,525 35.5 33.7
German 1,970 27.7 24.2
Canadian 1,925 27.1 29.4
Scottish 1,650 23.2 22.8
Irish 1,295 18.2 17.1
Total visible minority pop. 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
South Asian 80 1.1 0.2
Chinese 30 0.4 0.2
Arab 25 0.4 0.0
Japanese 10 0.1 0.0
Korean 10 0.1 0.0
Stettler
Ethnic origin 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
English 1,770 33.3 31.6
German 1,585 29.8 24.8
Scottish 1,370 25.8 22.5
Canadian 1,310 24.7 35.0
Irish 1,010 19.0 19.5
Total visible minority pop. 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
Filipino 45 0.8 0.2
Korean 40 0.8 0.2
South Asian 20 0.4 0.0
Chinese 15 0.3 0.7
Arab 10 0.2 0.0
Rocky Mountain House
Ethnic origin 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
English 2,395 35.7 30.8
Scottish 1,870 27.9 24.6
German 1,670 24.9 19.0
Canadian 1,550 23.1 29.0
Irish 1,380 20.6 17.0
Total visible minority pop. 2006 Tot. 2006% 2001%
Filipino 60 0.9 0.2
Black 35 0.5 1.1
Chinese 30 0.4 1.2
Arab 10 0.1 0.0
Southeast Asian 10 0.1 0.0
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