Office of the Chief Coroner

Publications & Reports

The Office of the Chief Coroner’s Death Review of the Youth Suicides at the Pikangikum First Nation

2006 – 2008

Glossary of Terms

Aboriginal. The term refers to First Nations (status and non-status), Métis and Inuit people in Canada.

Aboriginal peoples. The descendants of the original inhabitants of North America. Section 35(2) of the Constitution Act, 1982, states: "In this Act, Aboriginal peoples of Canada includes the Indian, Inuit, and Metis peoples of Canada." These separate groups have unique heritages, languages, cultural practices, and spiritual beliefs. Their common link is their indigenous ancestry.

Aboriginal rights. Rights held by some Aboriginal peoples as a result of their ancestors' use and occupancy of traditional territories before contact with Europeans or before British sovereignty in Canada. Aboriginal rights vary from group to group, depending on what customs, practices, and traditions were integral to the distinctive culture of the group.

Acculturation. The modification of the culture of a group or individual as a result of contact with a different culture.

AFN. Assembly of First Nations, a national organization representing approximately 700,000 First Nations citizens in Canada. It advocates and supports the diverse goals, rights, aspirations, traditional and spiritual values of First Nations citizens for all generations.

Band. Defined by the Indian Act, in part, as "a body of Indians ... for whose use and benefit in common, lands ... have been set apart.” Each band has its own governing band council, usually consisting of a chief and several councillors. The members of the band usually share common values, traditions, and practices rooted in their language and ancestral heritage. Today, many bands prefer to be known as First Nations.

Band council or First Nation council. The band's governing body. Community members choose the chief and councillors by election, or through traditional custom. The band council's powers vary with each band.

BFI. Brighter Futures Initiative of Health Canada, one of four federal funding streams for mental health-related services. BFI supports community-based activities within a community development framework that fosters the well-being of First Nations children, their families and communities.

BHC. Building Healthy Communities, another Health Canada initiative which supports the development of specialized, community-based mental health crisis intervention training and services and solvent abuse programming.

Bullying. A pattern of repeated aggressive behaviour, with negative intent, directed from one person to another, where there is a power imbalance (Olweus et al., 1999).

Child. For the purposes of this report, refers to individuals up to, but not including 19 years of age.

CICH. Canadian Institute of Child Health, a national organization dedicated to improving the health status of Canadian children and youth.

Closed case. A case in which the coroner has completed the investigation into a death.

Colonization. Extension of political and economic control over an area by a state whose nationals have occupied the area and usually possess organizational or technological superiority over the native population. It may consist simply in a migration of nationals to the territory, or it may be the formal assumption of control over the territory by military or civil representatives of the dominant power.

Deliberate self-harm. The deliberate damage of one's own body without suicidal intent.

Elder. A man or woman whose wisdom about spirituality, culture, and life is recognized and affirmed by the community. Not all Elders are "old.” Sometimes the spirit of the Creator chooses to imbue a young Aboriginal person. The Aboriginal community and individuals will normally seek the advice and assistance of Elders in various areas of traditional, as well as contemporary issues.

Family dysfunction. The consequence of a social practice or behaviour pattern (such as abuse or neglect) that undermines the stability of the family unit.

First Nation. Entities formerly referred to and legally recognized in the federal Indian Act as "bands.” Section 35 of the Canadian Constitution (i 982) protects the existing Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations and two other distinct groups of Aboriginal peoples, Inuit and Metis.

First Nation Education Authority. A First Nation Education Authority is comparable to a board of education. Most First Nations have an Education Authority, which is responsible for administering education for the community. It is responsible for hiring teachers and principals working in the community school(s), determines the curriculum to be used in the school(s), and negotiates tuition agreements with local provincially funded school boards when students have to leave the First Nation community to continue their elementary and/or secondary education.

First Nation governance. Refers to negotiated arrangements that enable First Nations to exercise greater decision- and law-making authority than is currently possible under the Indian Act. (The Canadian government refers to this process as "self-government.”) In Ontario, the governance arrangements that are being negotiated by Canada with First Nations will not be treaties; will not create new rights, such as hunting and fishing rights; and will not expand the reserve land bases of First Nations.

FNIHB. First Nations and Inuit Health Branch of Health Canada (formerly Medical Services Branch), which works with First Nations and Inuit people to improve and maintain the health of First Nations and Inuit peoples.

IAPH. Institute for Aboriginal Peoples’ Health, a branch of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (OHRJ), a federal agency responsible for funding health research in Canada.

Indian. A term that may have different meanings depending on context. Under the Indian Act, it means "a person who pursuant to this Act is registered as an Indian or is entitled to be registered as an Indian.” A number of terms include the word "Indian,” such as "Status Indian,” "Non-status Indian,” and "Treaty Indian." Status Indians are those who are registered as Indians under the Indian Act, although some would include those who, although not registered, are entitled to be registered. Non-status Indians are those who lost their status or whose ancestors were never registered or lost their status under former or current provisions of the Indian Act. Treaty Indians are those members of a community whose ancestors signed a treaty with the Crown and as a result are entitled to treaty benefits. The term "Indian" was first used by Christopher Columbus in 1492, believing he had reached India.

Indian Act. Federal legislation that regulates Indians and reserves and sets out certain federal government powers and responsibilities towards First Nations and their reserved lands. The first Indian Act was passed in 1876, although there were a number of pre- and post-Confederation enactments with respect to Indians and reserves prior to 1876. Since then, the act has undergone numerous amendments, revisions, and re-enactments. The Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development administers the act.

Inuit. Aboriginal people in northern Canada, living mainly in Nunavut, the Northwest Territories, northern Quebec, and Labrador. Ontario has a very small Inuit population. The Inuit are not covered by the Indian Act. The federal government has entered into several major land claim settlements with the Inuit.

Marginalization. To relegate or confine to a lower or outer limit or edge, as of social standing.

Mental health problems. A significant impairment of an individual's cognitive, affective and/or relational abilities that may be recognized as a medically diagnosable disorder.

Mental health promotion. Focuses on enabling and achieving positive mental health at the population level, by building competencies, resources and strengths and addressing the broader determinants of mental health. (Mental health promotion is not the same as the prevention of mental illness, which aims to reduce the incidence, prevalence or seriousness of specific disorders and problems) (Balfour, 2007).

Métis people. People of mixed First Nation and European ancestry. The Métis history and culture draws on diverse ancestral origins, such as Scottish, Irish, French, Ojibwa, and Cree.

Modifiable risk factors. Risk factors that can potentially be removed or alleviated through intervention, thereby reducing the probability of injury, disease or death.

NANO. National Aboriginal Health Organization, a national Aboriginal designed and controlled organization dedicated to improving the physical, social, mental, emotional, and spiritual health of Aboriginal Peoples.

NIHB. Non-insured Health Benefits, a third mental-health related program provided to First Nations through Health Canada. In addition to pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and equipment, dental and vision care and medical transportation, NIHB funding covers some professional mental health treatment and crisis intervention counselling.

NNADAP. The National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program, a fourth mental health related program of Health Canada which supports community-based workers and First Nations-managed culturally appropriate treatment for alcohol and other substance abuse.

Non-modifiable risk factors: Risk factors that cannot be changed, including age, biological sex, Aboriginal ancestry and sexual orientation.

Open case. A case in which the coroner is still investigating a death.

Parasuicide. An act of nonfatal outcome, in which an individual initiates a nonhabitual behaviour that, without intervention by others, will cause self-harm, or ingests a substance in excess of the prescribed or generally recognized therapeutic dosage, and which is aimed at realizing changes which he/she desired via the actual or expected physical consequences.

Postvention. A range of activities following a youth suicide, designed to provide support for survivors and prevent suicide contagion and imitative suicidal behaviour (Dafoe & Monk, 2005).

RCAP. The Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, which conducted an extensive commission of inquiry on Aboriginal issues across Canada and produced several volumes of research, culminating in a final, five-volume report in 1996.

Reserve. Lands set aside by the federal government for the use and benefit of a specific band or First Nation. The Indian Act provides that this land cannot be owned by individual band or First Nation members.

SPAG. The Suicide Prevention Advisory Group, a panel of eight Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal researchers and health practitioners appointed in 2001 by the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations and the Hon. Allan Rock, former Minister of Health, to make recommendations regarding the prevention of suicide among First Nations youth.

Substance use/abuse. The use or misuse of substances such as alcohol and drugs (both legal and illegal).

Suicide. The Office of the Chief Coroner classifies a death as suicide if it results from an intentional act of a person knowing the probable consequence of what he/she is about to do, that is, the commission or omission of an act that results in his/her own death. A dictionary definition is: The act or an instance of taking one's own life voluntarily and intentionally especially by a person of years of discretion and of sound mind.

Suicide attempt. A self-inflicted, non-accidental injury that does not result in death.

Suicidal behaviour. Suicidal ideation, threats and/or suicide attempts.

Suicidal ideation. Thoughts of suicidal acts involving oneself.

Traditional lands. Lands used and occupied by First Nations before European contact or the assertion of British sovereignty.

Treaty. A formal agreement between the Crown and Aboriginal peoples.

Treaty rights. Rights specified in a treaty. Rights to hunt and fish in traditional territory and to use and occupy reserves are typical treaty rights. This concept can have different meanings depending on the context and perspective of the user.

Tribal council. A body that typically represents a group of First Nations to facilitate the administration and delivery of local services to their members.

Youth. For the purposes of this report, refers to individuals over 12, but less than 19 years of age.