Higher Levels of Incarceration - #6 of 8 Key Issues

The incarceration rate of Indigenous peoples in Canada should be labelled a national crisis. The flaws in the justice system are insidious and perpetuate the cycle of poverty and marginalization that is the reality for far too many Indigenous people. The situation is of such enormity that of 94 calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, 18 are devoted to Justice, plus another three aimed at Equity in the Legal System - more than double those committed to any other issue.

Lower Income - #4 of 8 Key Issues for Indigenous Peoples in Canada

Indigenous Canadians earn about 70 cents for every dollar made by non-Indigenous Canadians, according to Canada's income data. This is a very frequent occurrence in metropolitan areas, where Indigenous employees earn 34% less than non-Indigenous workers doing the same job. The situation is much worse in remote reservations* where non-Indigenous individuals earn up to 88 percent more than Indigenous people. [1]

Inadequate Housing and Crowded Living Conditions - #3 of 8 Key Issues

Indigenous People face the worst housing outcomes in the country.

Hon. Marc Miller, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations [1]

To understand the complexities of the housing situation, some basic information on the reserve system, created in 1876, is required. The two articles linked below provide an overview of on-reserve housing.