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Thresholds for Indigenous languages on ballotsCEO Appearance on the study on Indigenous languages on ballots before the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs

Key Messages

  • Parliament should define a clear threshold in the Canada Elections Act for the inclusion of Indigenous languages on federal election ballots.
  • A combination of threshold and other measures, including a cap on the number of languages per ballot, may need to be considered.
  • According to preliminary analyses carried out by Elections Canada (EC) using census data, a 1% threshold at the electoral district (ED) level could mean Indigenous languages on ballots in 18-27 EDs, using between 12 and 17 languages.

Facts

Preliminary analyses were carried out within EC using 2016 Census data to determine what the implementation of the 1% threshold at the ED level, as proposed by Bill C-309 in 2021, would entail.

The research scope below provides further information on EC's analysis.

Language of the Elector

The 2016 Census has the most comprehensive set of questions to gauge language use. It asks about language(s) used from birth, at home, at work and in conversation. EC determined that of these questions, mother tongue(s) and language(s) spoken most often at home best reflected the population of people who might request a ballot in an Indigenous language.

In 2016, 195,700 people had an Indigenous language mother tongue and 118,765 people spoke an Indigenous language most often at home.

Bill C-309 - 1% threshold at the ED level

Bill C-309, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (Indigenous languages) sought to require Indigenous languages on federal election ballots under certain circumstances, including when at least 1% of the electors in an electoral district use Indigenous languages.

  • Using mother tongue as the measure, 17 languages in 27 distinct EDs meet the threshold; these EDs cover 72%-78% of those who have an Indigenous language mother tongue.
  • Using language spoken most often at home as the measure, 12 languages in 18 distinct EDs meet the threshold; these EDs cover 82%-86% of those who speak an Indigenous language most often at home.

In general, when considering the number of languages that meet the 1% ED level threshold, the list of languages matches pretty closely with the 16 languages where electoral services currently exist (though current services do no include Indigenous languages on ballots).

Preliminary analysis scope

Through a data-sharing agreement with Statistics Canada, the most recent census data EC has access to is the 2016 Census data matched to the polling divisions from the 43rd General Election in 2019.

Also, note that Census 2021 language data will be released in August 2022 and that the decennial redistribution exercise is expected to be completed in September 2023. The findings above may change slightly once new demographic data and a new electoral map become available.