The Manitoba Aboriginal Affairs Secretariat (2006) published Aboriginal People of Manitoba, and, in relation to labour and income, the document revealed: “All three prairie provinces have exhibited a long-standing, structural inability to integrate sufficient numbers of Aboriginal people into their economies” (p. 56). Mendelson (2004) discussed the status of employment for Aboriginal people in Canada and began with the introduction: “Employment is the cornerstone of participation in modern Canadian Society. Employment is not only a source of income: It is also the basis for self-respect and autonomy” (p. 1).

I chose to add research on literacy and its relationship to the Aboriginal job seeker to this research topic area. Again, I found extensive research describing how bad the literacy problem is for Aboriginals in Canada. Six Nations Mohawk (Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centres, 2005) described literacy as a barrier to employment for Aboriginals: “Literacy is connected to some of the key challenges our communities and society face at this point in time: employment, poverty, further or higher education, health, child and family well being” (p. 5). George (1998) stated, “Native literacy fosters and promotes achievement and a sense of purpose, which are both central to self-determination” (p. 6). It is clear that literacy is a set of foundational skills that many Canadians struggle with on a daily basis. Quigley, Folinsbee, and Kraglund-Gauthier (2006) reported on the literacy research that has been done in relation to Aboriginals in Canada. The report told us, “Further study is needed to understand how effectively such research is being disseminated within the Aboriginal community, and it is recommended that much more focus and support should be given to this growing body of knowledge in the Canadian context” (p. 20).