2009
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Florence Cartigny, « Integrating Aboriginals into the Saskatchewan Labour Force (2001-2007) », Recherches anglaises et nord-américaines (documents), ID : 10.3406/ranam.2009.1373
Integrating Aboriginals into the Saskatchewan Labour Force (2001-2007) Aboriginals have always constituted an important demographic component in Saskatchewan. Their numbers have been increasing : in 2001, they were 130,190 and in 2006, 141,890. At the end of the 1990s, after two harsh decades, the economy in Saskatchewan started to recover. However, Aboriginals were still excluded from this new prosperous era : they had to face many difficulties due to a lack of efficient training and job opportunities. In 2001, Roy Romanow stepped down as the New Democratic Premier of Saskatchewan and was replaced by the newly elected NDP leader, Lome Calvert, who remained at the head of the government until November 2007. Although a small Aboriginal middle class had started to appear, the full potential of that underprivileged group was not fulfilled. As Saskatchewan was about to face a labour shortage, the government implemented a wide array of measures to encourage Aboriginals to finish high school and then earn university or college degrees. Another direction followed was to encourage Aboriginal apprenticeship and the creation of businesses through partnerships. Six years later, what has changed for Aboriginals ? Are they finally integrated in the workforce ?