Appendix C: What you should know about this study

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The main data source used in this report is the Aboriginal Peoples Survey, 2006 (see appendix A: "About the Aboriginal Peoples Survey"). Data for this report were drawn from the adult questionnaire (for those aged 15 and over), the children and youth questionnaire (for those aged 6 to 14) and the Métis Supplement. This supplement was administered to Métis adults aged 15 and over. It contains questions on family background, child welfare, social interaction, physical and mental health, spiritual and emotional health.

The Métis identity concept was used in this article. It was possible for people to report both single and multiple responses to the Aboriginal identity question on the Aboriginal Peoples Survey. Included in this report, are Métis who identified as Métis only and those who identified as Métis in combination with Inuit and/or North American Indian.

Data from the 2001 Aboriginal Peoples Survey were also used in this report. This survey was conducted between September 2001 and January 2002, from a sample of about 117,000 people.

In some instances Census data were used. In these cases, the single response Métis identity population was used. A very small percentage of Métis (1.8%) identified as belonging to more than one Aboriginal group on the 2006 Census. When population counts of Métis are presented, Census data were used (rather than Aboriginal Peoples Survey counts) for consistency with previously released data (Statistics Canada, 2008a). Please refer to the Aboriginal Peoples Survey Concepts and Methods Guide for a detailed explanation of the relationship between the Aboriginal Peoples Survey and the Census (catalogue number 89-637).

Data for Métis children aged 6 to 14 were based on information provided by parents or guardians of 5,367 Métis children. Information in this report for those aged 15 and over is based on responses from 8,901 Métis.

Throughout this report, percentages may not add to 100 because missing data (i.e., don't know, refusal, not stated) were included in the calculation of all estimates. In most cases, the proportions of missing data were very small, and therefore were generally not reported. Larger percentages of missing data are shown in the text or tables.

Differences described in the body of this report are significant at the 5% level. Not all estimates shown in the charts and tables are significantly different.