DCHP-2

Native Canadian native Canadian DCHP-2 (July 2016)

• 1 n. — Aboriginal, especially First Nations

  an Aboriginal inhabitant of Canada; someone descended from Indigenous people in Canada.

  Type: 4. Culturally Significant — Native Canadian is modeled after the term Native American, which is used in the United States (OED-3, s.v. "Native American"). Native American is much more frequent in the international context (see Chart 1). Native Canadian is not as frequent (Chart 2), because other terms are in use. Aboriginal person derives from the Constitution Act, which defines the term aboriginal as including the Indian, Inuit or Métis people of Canada (see aboriginal). Recently (as of 2016), indigenous has started to be used to designate this group; the name of the federal ministry named Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development in 2011 was changed to Indigenous and Northern Affairs in 2015.
  See also COD-2, s.v. "Native Canadian", which is described as being used in Canada, and OED-3, s.v. "Native Canadian", which is described as being used in Canada.

  See also: Inuit  Métis  First Nation  Aboriginal  indigenous  

• 2 adj. — Aboriginal, especially First Nations

  of or relating to the Aboriginal peoples of Canada.

  Type: 4. Culturally Significant — See meaning 1.

  See also: indigenous