Religion of Aboriginal Peoples

Question

A professor teaching a class on Religion in Canada is searching for information about religion of Aboriginal people in Canada.

We have identified the Detailed Tables of Projections of Population with Aboriginal Ancestry, Canada, Provinces/Regions and Territories, 1991-2016 from the Statistics Canada page (91C0026). It appears that this is a custom tabulation that has to be purchased. I'm wondering how we might acquire it? Is it something that the DLI could obtain access for us?

He is particularly interested in current information but is also interested in historical data as well. Any suggestions about
information on religion on Canada in general or as it pertains to aboriginal people is needed. I do know that the Census collections
religion data in the census years ending in 1.

Answer

A similar product was distributed on cd-rom under DLI back in about September of 2005:
Projections of the Aboriginal populations, Canada, provinces and territories (Canada. Statistics Canada; 91-547-xcb)
- but population projections is all it contains.

I couldn't find any aboriginal identity by religion tables in the 2001 census products, nor in 1991. My best suggestions are:
2001
- Census individual public use microdata file - from this you can produce eg a table of aboriginal identity and religion
- the Aboriginal peoples survey microdata file (adults off reserve) doesn't seem to have a religion question

1991
- Census individual public use microdata file - same as above, although the coding of Aboriginal identity is quite different from 2001
- 1991 Aboriginal peoples survey public use microdata file does have aboriginal identity and religion

You may also want to check the RCAP report or the CD-ROM, For Seven Generations: Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples.