The Canadian Francophonie living in minority settings is quite diverse. Everyone communicates in their own way and carries unique values shaped by their community of belonging. Within FMCs, there are people with diverse identities, including those related to culture, ethnic background, sexual identity, gender identity, language and more.

It is important to be sensitive to this diversity and to adapt the active offer of services to the needs of all French-speaking individuals living in a minority setting. Both patients and health care providers bring their cultural perspectives to every interaction.

First Nations, Inuit and Métis are the original stewards of this land. Their cultures, languages and knowledge are part of the shared heritage of all Canadians. Their vision of health care—rooted in a balance of body, mind, emotion and the environment—offers more human and holistic approaches that benefit the entire population. Recognizing and valuing these perspectives helps build a more respectful, inclusive and sustainable health care system.

Indigenous Peoples contribute to Canada’s cultural and linguistic richness through their languages, arts, stories, values and worldviews. These living heritages are not only treasures within Indigenous communities but a collective asset for all of Canadian society.

Within Canada’s First Nations, there are approximately 1,127,000 members, 630 communities, 50 nations and 50 Indigenous languages.

The Inuit are the Indigenous people of the Arctic. There are more than 70,000 Inuit in Canada, living across four regions: Inuvialuit (Northwest Territories and Yukon), Nunavik (northern Quebec), Nunatsiavut (Labrador) and Nunavut.

There are nearly 600,000 Métis in Canada, living mainly in Ontario and the four western provinces.

 

Additional resources

Learn more about Indigenous Peoples and cultures: Learn about Canada’s three distinct groups of Indigenous peoples with unique histories, languages, cultural practices, and spiritual beliefs that are woven into the fabric of our country. More than 1.8 million people in Canada identify themselves as an Indigenous person.

The Indigenous health page on the Canadian Medical Association website presents data on Indigenous Peoples and health.

 

French-speaking immigrants play an essential role in sustaining the vitality of Francophone minority communities (FMCs). These individuals bring cultural and linguistic diversity that enriches our communities.

Francophone communities in Canada have experienced a decline in their demographic weight over the past several decades. The contribution of French-speaking immigrants to the vitality and growth of FMCs is therefore crucial.

Francophone immigration has become a national priority to increase the number of French speakers living in predominantly English-speaking provinces and territories. In 2023, more than 19,600 French-speaking immigrants settled within Francophone communities outside Quebec.

Immigrants face significant challenges upon arriving in Canada, particularly in adapting to life in a new country, integrating a new community and navigating a new culture.

There is a rich diversity of sexual and gender identities within Francophone 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. This diversity is difficult to categorize using fixed labels: the terminology and acronyms used to describe 2SLGBTQIA+ communities are constantly evolving.

According to Statistics Canada (2022), approximately one million people in Canada are part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, representing 4% of the Canadian population aged 15 and over. Of these individuals, about 52% identify as women, 44% as men, and 3% as non-binary.

“Looking specifically at gender diversity, about 100,815 people in Canada are transgender (59,460) or non-binary (41,355), accounting for 0.33% of the population aged 15 years and over. Among transgender people, 53% were women and 47% were men.” (Statistics Canada, 2022)

However, not all members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community disclose their sexual orientation or their sex or gender identity. As a result, Statistics Canada data may significantly underrepresent the actual numbers.

 

Additional resources

Preceptor Guide – Facilitating Positive Learning Environments for Transgender, Non-Binary and Gender Non-Conforming Medical Students

This guide is intended as a resource on the basics of what it means to be trans, the challenges that transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming learners may face, and how you, as a preceptor, can help create and support inclusive learning environments.

Intersections: Indigenous and 2SLGBTQQIA+ identities

A tool developed by the Native Women’s Association of Canada. This information and learning booklet is a helpful resource gaining a deeper understanding of 2SLGBTQQIA+ identities, as well as indigenous languages and culture.