literature. And it is a generally accepted and ethically correct term to refer to
Indigenous population of the United States .
In Canada, this term was also widely used in the period of French and English
colonization of the continent, but eventually received negative connotation
(Zapotichna, 2016a). From the 70s of the twentieth century, in the Canadian official
literature "Indians" began to be called First Nations. Despite the widespread use of the
term "First Nations" in modern Canadian scientific, educational and legal literature,
there is is still no official definition of this term. This term, however, is ethically correct
in Canadian English and is used to identify Indians as a group of Indigenous peoples.
The term is generally accepted at the federal level.
According to the recommendations on the use of terminology developed by
National Aboriginal Health Organization, the term "Indians" that is used for denoting
the entire Indigenous population of Canada except Inuit and Metis, is permitted to be
used only: in quotations or titles of books, works of art, etc .; in the historical context
in order to accurately describe the material; in the legal context in order to clarify and
specify the terminology; in the study and / or discussion of the rights and privileges
provided on the basis of the presence or absence of an Indian status; in the statistical
information (for example, the census) (National Aboriginal Health Organization
Terminology Guidelines, 2017).
First Nations speak dozens of different languages. Creeês is one of the most widely
spoken Indian languages in Canada, followed by Ojibway (The Canadian
Encyclopedia, 2013).
In addition to anthropological peculiarities, Indigenous peoples of Canada are
distinguished from other Canadians with a special legal status. The official status of
Indigenous people in Canada is determined by three basic laws: The British North
America Act (1867), The Indian Act, The Constitution Act (1982) (Voyageur, Calliou
& Various, 2000).
In connection with the socio-historical, political and economic features of the
development of Canada, according to legal status, in the country three categories of
Indians are distinguished : Status Indians, Non-status Indians, Treaty Indians. Status
Indians are Indians whose names are in the official Indian Register, made by the
Canadian federal government. In this regard, in Canadian English, Status Indians are
also called Registered Indians. The launch of this Register began in the colonial times
in 1850, when the British North American government began registering Indians and
Indian tribes authorized to receive benefits in accordance with agreements concluded
between them and the federal government.
Status Indians have special benefits, government education and health programs
as well as certain exemptions from taxes. Although, there are certain differences in
social benefits and health insurance for Status Indians in different provinces and
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