First Nations left out of unemployment figures

NDP Aboriginal Affairs critic Niki Ashton (Churchill) is calling renewed attention to the fact that the Conservatives have not been collecting employment data on First Nations members living on reserve.

“By excluding reserves, the Conservatives are making it impossible to understand employment challenges facing many First Nations members in Canada,” said Ashton. “This is utterly irresponsible and needs to be corrected.”

Citing cost, Statistics Canada has left reserves out of previous Labour Force Surveys (LFS). However, a recent Statistics Canada project found that on-reserve data collection costs were not significantly different from other remote areas that are included in the LFS.

“The information from this survey is especially important since the Conservatives cancelled the best tool we had, the long-form census, and the non-response rate to the National Household Survey has been massive,” said Ashton. “Once again, on the issue of jobs and employment the Conservatives are leaving Canadian families further and further behind.”