ABSTRACT
Canada comprises ten provinces, each with sovereign statutory powers, and two northern territories, the legislatures of which have such powers as are granted by the federal parliament. Only about 712,000 (2.8 per cent) of Canada’s population of approximately 25,310,000 belong to the native peoples. About 15,334,000 (60.6 per cent) claim English and 6,160,000 (24.3 per cent) claim French as their mother tongue, and about 3,816,000 (15.1 per cent) other mother tongues are represented by immigrants from many countries. Only about 76,000 people reside in the northern territories which comprise about 40 per cent of Canada’s land mass; of these, about 25,000 (33.2 per cent) belong to the native peoples. Most of Canada’s population is resident in the southern part of the country bordering the United States. Only about 24 per cent of Canadians are classified as being rural residents. The provision of educational services is largely a provincial responsibility. The federal government continues to bear the financial cost of the schooling of natives. Private schools are found in every province; however, the number of private school pupils in Newfoundland and each of the Yukon and Northwest territories make up a combined total of less than 100. Of Canada’s total elementary and secondary school population of about 4,630,000, approximately 234,000 (4.8 per cent) are enrolled in private schools.
