They are more likely to experience developmental delays and injuries. The number of young children who lived in low-income families increased from one in five in 1990 to one in four in 1995. These proportions are higher in Aboriginal and recently arrived immigrant communities, and in families headed by very young parents and women who are single parents. Canada's Aboriginal people are at higher risk than the Canadian population as a whole for poor health and early death. Despite major improvements since 1979, infant mortality rates among First Nations people in 1994 were still twice as high as among the Canadian population as a whole.
Life expectancy is significantly lower among Aboriginal people than the overall Canadian population.
High rates of suicide and fatal unintentional injuries among First Nations and Inuit young people partly account for this difference. Emerging evidence on early child development suggests a pressing need to provide all Canadian children with the supportive environments they need to thrive. When optimal conditions for a child's development are provided between conception and age 6, the brain develops in a way that has positive outcomes for a lifetime. A loving, secure attachment between parents, caregivers and babies in the first 18 months of life helps children develop trust, self-esteem and emotional control. Infants and children who are neglected or abused are at higher risk for behavioural, social and learning problems later in life.