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14.12 Elimination of Racial and Ethnic Stereotyping, Identification of groups

Be aware of the current self-identification preferences of racial and cultural groups in Canada:

  • Black(s), not Negro(es)
  • ethnic (or cultural) minorities, not ethnics
  • Indigenous people(s) in Canada, not Indigenous Canadians
  • Inuk (singular), Inuit (plural), not Eskimo
  • Métis, not Metis

Note that the term African American is gaining currency in the U.S.A.

Note also that the terms used to designate the Indigenous peoples of Canada have undergone considerable change in recent years. Although the Canadian Constitution Act, 1982, uses the term aboriginal peoples in the lower case, the words Aboriginal and Indigenous have since come to be capitalized when used in the Canadian context. The terms currently preferred are the following:

  • Indigenous people(s)
  • First people(s)