Who Canadians are

Chapter 2 of 10 in the official guide, Discover Canada (“Who We Are”). This summary is ours: it does not replace the guide.

Canada was built by Indigenous peoples, the French and the British, then by generations of immigrants from all over the world.

Indigenous peoples

Three distinct groups: First Nations, Inuit and Métis (the guide calls them Aboriginal peoples).
“Inuit” means “the people” in Inuktitut. The Métis are of mixed Indigenous and European ancestry, and most live in the Prairies.
The Royal Proclamation of 1763 laid the basis for negotiating treaties. Aboriginal and treaty rights are guaranteed in the Constitution.
For more than a century, many Indigenous children were placed in residential schools. The federal government formally apologized in 2008.

English and French

They are Canada's two official languages, with equal status in Parliament and throughout the federal government.
New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province.
The Acadians descend from French colonists who arrived from 1604. Many were deported between 1755 and 1763: the “Great Upheaval”.
In 2006, the House of Commons recognized that the Québécois form a nation within a united Canada.

A diverse country

People from all over the world live in Canada, with their languages, cultures and religions.

2 free questions to test yourself

Question 1 of 2 Who Canadians are

What are the three main groups of Indigenous peoples in Canada?

Show the answer

A. First Nations, Inuit and Métis Canada's Indigenous peoples (the guide calls them Aboriginal peoples) are made up of three distinct groups: First Nations, Inuit and Métis.

Question 2 of 2 Who Canadians are

What are Canada's two official languages?