Mixed Marriages

Question

The student I am currently in contact with wants information on trends in intercultural or mixed marriages either locally, by province, or for Canada. I found something earlier, two tables in the 1996 census on disc 5 of the Dimensions Series.

One table is called Husband-wife Census Families in Private Households by Selected Characteristics of Spouses and another table is Husband-wife Census Families in Private Households by Visible Minority Groups of Spouses.

The wording is visible minority groups of spouses, both spouses visible minority (Chinese, South Asian, Black etc.), one spouse visible minority (husband visible minority, wife not visible minority and vice versa).

Will this information be available in the 2001 tables? I have searched the dictionary twice, using the terms I found in 1996, with no success. The Dimensions Series appeared as special tables late in the 1996 publishing cycle and I wondered whether something similar is planned for 2001?

Answer

You may want to look at the recent analysis "Mixed Unions":
http://www.statcan.ca/english/studies/11-008/feature/11-008-XIE20040016882.pdf

There is also data on # of marriages by religion of bride by religion of groom.
http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/84F0212XIE/2002/tables.htm
Even though spouses may have different visible minority statuses, this is not necessarily the same as different ethnic origins or identities.