# Aboriginals in Canada? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 13, 2006, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aboriginals-in-canada/368579 "2006-08-13T18:56:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aboriginals-in-canada/368579/1 "2006-08-13T18:56:44Z")
I was watching this police drama last night, called, “Da Vinci’s Inquest.” Never saw it before, and I must say, it was pretty bad. It’s a Canadian production, and strangely enough, the drama is set in Canada. In the story (which I picked up in progress), a girl is murdered. All I saw of her was a brief look at a B&W picture of her, and she seemed to be black. The cops referred to her, nonchalantly as an aboriginal girl. So, my question is, what kind of aborigines are common in Canada? Do you folks up there call native Canadians aboriginals? Could she have been an Autralian import? Is there another possibility? And please don’t take offense at my panning of the show. Most of ours down here are even worse. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aboriginals-in-canada/368579/2 "2006-08-13T19:01:22Z")
“Aboriginal” in Canada refers to people who are indigenous to Canada. Therefore it refers to Native (Indian) and Inuit peoples. See the first meaning at [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com): > [@dictionary.com](#): > > 1. Having existed in a region from the beginning: aboriginal forests. > > 2. Of or relating to aborigines. > often Aboriginal Of or relating to the indigenous peoples of Australia. And yeah, DaVinci’s Inquest, not so good. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aboriginals-in-canada/368579/3 "2006-08-13T20:02:16Z")
I grew up in an area of southern Ontario that was surrounded by the Six Nations Reservation. There are a lot of natives everywhere in the country, but especially Up North and Out West. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aboriginals-in-canada/368579/4 "2006-08-13T20:07:31Z")
Aboriginal is always natives around the entire world. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aboriginals-in-canada/368579/5 "2006-08-13T20:07:34Z")
Six Nations (IIRC) are causing a bit of a kerfuffle around Caledonia. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aboriginals-in-canada/368579/6 "2006-08-13T20:11:04Z")
Again? What this time? Do you know of where I could read about it? ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aboriginals-in-canada/368579/7 "2006-08-13T20:15:52Z")
[QUOTE=Harmonious Discord] Aboriginal is always natives around the entire world. [/QUOTE] True, but when’s the last time you heard of a Native American referred to as an Aboriginal? ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aboriginals-in-canada/368579/8 "2006-08-13T20:21:30Z")
[QUOTE=fishbicycle] Again? What this time? Do you know of where I could read about it? [/QUOTE] [http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/caledonia-landclaim/](http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/caledonia-landclaim/) ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aboriginals-in-canada/368579/9 "2006-08-13T20:44:45Z")
Sometimes, no, make that all of the time, I am so glad I don’t have to live there anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aboriginals-in-canada/368579/10 "2006-08-13T21:35:42Z")
I was going to point out that I wished the USA had used aboriginal hundreds of years ago insead of indians. Americans don’t know if you mean someone from India or America. You’remore likely to mean someone from India now. I have actually started to think of the term aboriginal for all original peoples of the world, since reading articles from Canada and the rest of the world. I don’t however link it’s use with terms meaning stupid or inferior in my sentences. I’ve adjusted my terms a bit over the years to what the rest of the world uses. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aboriginals-in-canada/368579/11 "2006-08-13T22:08:00Z")
[QUOTE=Harmonious Discord] I was going to point out that I wished the USA had used aboriginal hundreds of years ago insead of indians. Americans don’t know if you mean someone from India or America. You’remore likely to mean someone from India now. I have actually started to think of the term aboriginal for all original peoples of the world, since reading articles from Canada and the rest of the world. I don’t however link it’s use with terms meaning stupid or inferior in my sentences. I’ve adjusted my terms a bit over the years to what the rest of the world uses. [/QUOTE] I agree with you, **HD**. I think Canada proved more enlightened on that score than USA. But I also wonder what “original peoples” think of the term, aboriginal. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve been conditioned to regard it as deprecatory. What might be best: call them what they call themselves. What, for example, do the Australian aborigines refer to themselves as? ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aboriginals-in-canada/368579/12 "2006-08-13T22:32:47Z")
In BC, the term First Nations, or First Nations Peoples, is used more commonly than aboriginal. Da Vinci’s Inquest is based on a real life person, Larry Campbell, who was later elected mayor of Vancouver, BC’s largest city. > [@](#): > > Canada’s busiest and longest-running television coroner is getting a new job and new series this fall on CBC. > > Dominic Da Vinci, played by actor Nicholas Campbell for seven seasons so far, will move from Da Vinci’s Inquest to become Vancouver’s mayor in the sequel Da Vinci’s City Hall - a move identical to that of the character’s inspiration, Larry Campbell, Vancouver’s former chief coroner and current mayor. > > “It didn’t start out as the Larry Campbell story,” says series creator Chris Haddock of Vancouver’s Haddock Entertainment. > > “We got him elected to research for the show,” he adds, perhaps only half-joking. Campbell was a technical advisor on Inquest and wrote some scripts. He will continue as an advisor on City Hall. “It is a segue more than an end to the original series,” says Haddock. > > Inquest produced 91 episodes. > > The show won numerous Geminis through its run including a best drama series nod this year. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aboriginals-in-canada/368579/13 "2006-08-13T22:39:00Z")
[QUOTE=Savannah] In BC, the term First Nations, or First Nations Peoples, is used more commonly than aboriginal. Da Vinci’s Inquest is based on a real life person, Larry Campbell, who was later elected mayor of Vancouver, BC’s largest city. [/QUOTE] Thanks for the first, bit Savannah. But then you embarrass me with the second. I knocked the show, in the OP and now you tell everyone that this is a highly successful show in Canada. Oy. :smack: I’ll try to watch more episodes and develop a liking for it. Sorry. (Sort of, anyway.) ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aboriginals-in-canada/368579/14 "2006-08-13T22:45:15Z")
[QUOTE=BarnOwl] I agree with you, **HD** What, for example, do the Australian aborigines refer to themselves as? [/QUOTE] I know very little of all the ins and outs, but it’s pretty complex and there are lots of different terms, depending on the group and the usage: [link](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Indigenous_Australian_group_names#K) ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aboriginals-in-canada/368579/15 "2006-08-13T22:52:24Z")
[QUOTE=Cunctator] I know very little of all the ins and outs, but it’s pretty complex and there are lots of different terms, depending on the group and the usage: [link](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Indigenous_Australian_group_names#K) [/QUOTE] Well, there goes the call-'em-what-they-call-themselves proposal. Thank you! (Is there a meaning to your name you’d care to share, **Cunctator**?) ---
**Author:** ![PastAllReason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@PastAllReason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastAllReason)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aboriginals-in-canada/368579/16 "2006-08-13T23:02:22Z")
[QUOTE=BarnOwl] So, my question is, what kind of aborigines are common in Canada? Do you folks up there call native Canadians aboriginals? Could she have been an Autralian import? Is there another possibility? [/QUOTE] Geographically being the second largest country in the world, it is safe to say that the indigenous population in Canada is diverse. Here is a link to a guide prepared by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada entitled [Words First: an Evolving Terminology Relating to Aboriginal Peoples in Canada](http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/pr/pub/wf/index_e.html#body). At this link, you’ll see definitions. A quote from the link on the names used: "Collective names to describe the original peoples of North America and their descendants: Aboriginal people(s) [INDENT]First Peoples Indigenous people(s) Native people(s) Native American American Indian More narrowly defined groups of Aboriginal people: First Nation Indian Innu Metis Eskimo Inuit Terms associated with communities and community organization: among First Nations: band tribal council tribe reservation reserve among Inuit: Inuit communities Inuit regions"[/INDENT] Keep in mind, however, that this was a guide prepared by INAC, the relevant federal government department. For example, though “Eskimo” is included in this list, it is not at all in common use today in Canada (with the exception of the football team). The peoples described by Europeans as Eskimos described themselves as Inuit, and this is by far the prevalent term today. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2006, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aboriginals-in-canada/368579/17 "2006-08-13T23:03:04Z")
[QUOTE=BarnOwl] (Is there a meaning to your name you’d care to share, **Cunctator**?) [/QUOTE] I took the name from the great Roman general [Fabius Maximus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabius_Maximus), whose masterly delaying tactics impressed me when we studied him in Latin at school. (NB the Latin verb “to delay” is cunctor, cunctari, cunctatus) ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aboriginals-in-canada/368579/18 "2006-08-14T00:04:54Z")
[QUOTE=Cunctator] I took the name from the great Roman general [Fabius Maximus](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabius_Maximus), whose masterly delaying tactics impressed me when we studied him in Latin at school. (NB the Latin verb “to delay” is cunctor, cunctari, cunctatus) [/QUOTE] Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aboriginals-in-canada/368579/19 "2006-08-14T01:21:07Z")
[QUOTE=PastAllReason] For example, though “Eskimo” is included in this list, it is not at all in common use today in Canada (with the exception of the football team). The peoples described by Europeans as Eskimos described themselves as Inuit, and this is by far the prevalent term today. [/QUOTE] Eskimo is regarded as a derogatory term by most but the very elderly Inuit people. It means ‘eaters of raw meat’, so while it’s descriptive, it hardly encompasses the peoples. “Inuit” simply means “people” in Inuktitut (and I am guessing Inuvialuit as well). The “Of the North” refers to my time living in the NWT (when it included Nunavut, home to the Inuit), so I have some experience with the languages. ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2006, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aboriginals-in-canada/368579/20 "2006-08-14T01:38:31Z")
[QUOTE=BarnOwl] Thanks for the first, bit Savannah. But then you embarrass me with the second. I knocked the show, in the OP and now you tell everyone that this is a highly successful show in Canada. Oy. :smack: I’ll try to watch more episodes and develop a liking for it. Sorry. (Sort of, anyway.) [/QUOTE] No need for embarrassment. 🙂 Tastes differ; I haven’t actually watched a lot of the episodes myself. It was a little unnerving to watch one, and realise the plot was also based on a real case: a man who liked to pick up Aboriginal/First Nations women in bars, and ply them with alcohol until they died. This was a real man; he went to jail for it, and was eventually released and ended up living in the same town as I do. (Victoria.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aboriginals-in-canada/368579.md?page=2)