Living Happily in Hopes for the Future

And so should we all.  And some of us do.  But to learn from a new, authoritative study that First Nations people living as urban aboriginals are finding happiness, opportunities and satisfaction living in Canada's cities alongside other Canadians is an absolute bonus.

"None of this is to imply that everything is fine", cautioned professor John Richards, one of the authors of the study.  "There are a lot of problems of poverty, poor education outcomes, racism, but it's not all bad."

The study is based on data from the 2009 Urban Aboriginal Peoples Study by Environics.  The finding was that over half of Canada's 1.2-million Inuit, Metis and First Nations people live in urban settings.  The survey asked people in eleven cities one simple question: 'Overall, are you happy with your life?'

Happiness was rated on a scale of zero to three; zero representing 'not at all', and three to be interpreted as 'very happy'.  Over half (57.8%) of respondents declared they were 'very happy'.  The average 'happiness score' came out as 2.4 out of three.  A national World Values Survey undertaken in 2006 indicated 46.2% of Canadians felt themselves to be 'very happy'; the average 'happiness score' 2.4 on the same scale.

The largest share of 'very happy' urban aboriginals in the study was located in Vancouver, at 65%, while the lowest was in Montreal, at 52.4%.  The happiness levels of urban Aboriginal People rises with education levels, good employment, stable relationships and improved health, along with a coterie of aboriginal and non-aboriginal friends.

"There's more opportunity in the city, income is better, health is better, education is better" than on reserves, explained Michael Lascelles, executive director of the Odawa Friendship Centre in Ottawa. 

Despite the rosy picture painted by the survey, claimed Jeffrey Cyr, executive director of the National Association of Friendship Centres, "Aboriginal People are still at the bottom of the socio-economic spectrum in almost every category."

The median income of urban aboriginals comes out lower than that of non-aboriginals, according to the report; $22,100 and $28,900 respectively in the 2006 census.  Obviously there is plenty of room for improvement. 

But that the respondents felt themselves to be happy despite obvious disparities leaves room for hope for the future, as well.