Indigenous, Aboriginal or . . . ?

Preferred terminology for writing about the original peoples of Canada has changed over the years, and it’s important for journalists, business communicators and other writers to keep up with the times.

When I was starting my journalism career, the preferred term for First Nations, Metis and Inuit collectively was aboriginal with a lowercase a. That was Canadian Press style at a time when there was a Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples and when APTN – the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network – was in its infancy.

Now the preferred term is Indigenous with a capital I, and if you’re going to use the term aboriginal you should give it an uppercase A. So goes CP style since 2017.

Generally speaking, you should avoid Aboriginal (or aboriginal) unless it is:
◘ being used in a legal context – e.g., “aboriginal and treaty rights” in the Constitution Act, 1982;
◘ part of a proper noun such as the Winnipeg Aboriginal Film Festival; or
◘ the preference of someone you’re writing about.

The word Indian has almost no place in writing about Indigenous matters unless you’re referring to the legal classification of Status Indian or that old statute called the Indian Act. Also avoid Native unless it is preferred by someone you’re writing about or part of a proper noun (e.g., the Ontario Native Women’s Association).

Reserve the term reserve for writing about land allocated to a First Nation. The people living on that land don’t identify themselves as a reserve. And remember: “reservation” is U.S., not Canadian, terminology.

You’d be wise to avoid writing “Indigenous Canadian” as not every Indigenous person in the country identifies as Canadian. Likewise, the phrase “Canada’s Indigenous peoples” (or “Peoples” if your style dictates an uppercase P) risks offending those who believe with all their hearts that Indigenous nations don’t belong to Canada. It would be better to write “Indigenous peoples in Canada.”

Whenever possible, be specific about a subject’s Indigenous identity. You could say someone is a member of Opaskwayak Cree Nation, or you could say an organization represents Mi’kmaq women. If you write that “Fox and Spence are Indigenous,” you might add information in parentheses, like so: “Fox and Spence are Indigenous (Plains Cree).” That’s better than just writing Indigenous or Aboriginal.

If you’re unsure of the precise or preferred spelling of a First Nation’s name (“God’s Lake” or “Gods Lake”?), check its website. If you can’t find an official website for that First Nation, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada has a list of First Nations on its website. Or maybe you could just phone and ask someone.

Journalists for Human Rights has published a free style guide to assist in writing about Indigenous people in Canada. Much of the foregoing advice was adopted and adapted from that document, available online.