Originally posted by: ggnl
native = native american?
Edit: err....you're canadians. What exactly is a native?
Aboriginal Canadian is the general term, First Nations person if they're not Inuit or Metis.
That's the current politically correct term.
Just "Native" is polite enough for relaxed conversation, at least where I come from. Mostly Oneida Nation here. Constitutionally, the original treaties that recognized the first nations as independent nations within Canada are still recognized in law. Court decisions and other self-government policies are slowly making that true in practical terms, at least in some regions up here. That's why we refer to them as "Nations."
Making generalizations about rates of crime, poverty, alcoholism or other social problems that are endemic in many Native populations can be a very delicate act. The best way to avoid offence is to discuss them from the perspective that these are social problems, not moral failings. If this doesn't fit well with your worldview, I'd suggest learning about what those communities have gone through, and I mean in recent history. The Canadian government has had aggressive assimilation programs vis a vis the First Nations people as recently as the 1960s.
Many of the social problems remain stubborn not just because of the policies of the Federal and various Provincial governments, but also because of poor management by band councils since they have been devolving powers to them since the '60s. Much has to be done on their side to improve conditions. It's a very complicated problem, not very well described by simplistic racial generalizations. If you have to make a generalization for the purposes of an argument or conversation, do so cautiously. And make sure that the context in which you make it acknowledges the subtleties of the situation. Also, it would be wise to bear in mind that there are signs of improvement in these matters in many communities.
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