Cultural Diversity in Canada: The Social Construction of Racial Difference

4. Changes in Ethnic and Racial Diversity

Table 3: Composition of Non-British and Non-French Ethnic Origins in Canada, 1961-1991
Non-British and Non-French Single Ethnic Origin 1961 1971 1981 1991
N % N % N % N %
Single Ethnic Origin
European (non-British & non-French) 4,116,849 87.6 4,959,680 86 4,648,675 75.8 4,146,065 55.7
Aboriginal 220,121 4.7 312,760 5.4 413,380 6.7 470,615 6.3
Asian 121,753 2.6 285,540 5 694,830 11.3 1,607,230 21.6
African* 32,127 0.7 34,445 0.6 55,760 0.9 251,050 3.4
Latin, Central & South American** …   …   117,550 1.9 179,930 2.4
Pacific Islanders …   …   80,340 1.3 7215 0.1
Other Single Origin 210,382 4.5 171,645 3 120,990 2 780,035 10.,5
Total Number of People of Non-British and Non-French Single Origin 4,701,232 100 5,764,070 100 6,131,525 100 7442,140 100
Non-British and Non-French Single Origins as % of Total Population   25.8   26.7   25.5   27.6
Total Population 18,238,247 21,568,310 24,083,495 26,994,045

Notes:

Sources:
Compiled from Dominion Bureau of Statistics, 1961 Census of Canada, Population: Ethnic Origins, Volume 1, Catalogue 92-911, Ottawa: Minister of Trade and Commerce, 1962; Statistics Canada, 1971 Census of Canada, Population: Ethnic Groups, Volume 1, Part 3, Bulletin 1.3, Table 1, Ottawa:  Minister of Industry, Trade and Commerce, 1973, Statistics Canada, 1981 Census of Canada, Population: Ethnic Origin, Volume 1, Catalogue 92-911, Table 1, Ottawa: Minister of Supply and Services Canada, 1984: Statistics Canada, 1991 Census of Canada, Ethnic Origin: The Nation, Catalogue 93-315, Table 1A, Ottawa: Minister of Industry, Science and Technology, 1993.