Demography in the Balance

Canada’s west is booming in a way that has not been seen in at least a generation, and there is every indication that this shift in economic clout will be with us for a number of years to come. It may even be true that the balance of political power is changing from east to west on a long-term basis, as more and more people move to Alberta, British Columbia and now even Saskatchewan in search of jobs and business opportunities. Stephen Harper entered the Prime Minister’s Office under the motto “The West Wants In,” and it seems that he and his supporters have gotten their wish, at least for the time being. But now that the West is indeed “in,” it is time to look more closely at who is still being left out in the cold: the region’s growing population of aboriginal people.

It is well established that the birth rate of Native people in Canada has far exceeded that of the general population in recent years, and despite the fact that Native people on average die much...