National Adult Literacy Database

Why is it important to have a greater understanding of how Aboriginal Canadians and New Canadians engage in civic life and what their values are? Given current demographic trends, these groups are and will continue to be increasingly important players in the way Canada is growing and changing. During the 1990s, more immigrants came to Canada than in any previous decade. According to Statistics Canada, 18% of Canada's population is foreign-born. On a per capita basis, Canada's yearly intake of immigrants is higher than that of either Australia or the United States. In 2001, 1.8 million people, or 6.2% of our country's population, were immigrants who arrived during the previous decade.

The Aboriginal population is also experiencing very strong growth. In Canada, 3.8% of the population now identify themselves as Aboriginal. Furthermore, in 2001, almost half of the Aboriginal population lived in urban areas (mostly Prairie cities). Finally, one of every three Aboriginal Canadians is under the age of 14. This emerging generation is particularly prominent in Manitoba and Saskatchewan where one of every four children is Aboriginal.

Encouraging the next generation of Canadians to take on leadership roles in this country is a challenge for decision-makers who eventually must "pass the torch".