—the statistics are potentially misleading for Métis.
Since 2005, as an example, the rate of increase in Métis median income reported by StatsCan is significantly higher than that for the non-indigenous, first nations, or Inuit populations. Concurrently, the Métis population, reported by StatsCan, has increased at a greater rate than that of first nations, Inuit, or non-indigenous population, and far beyond what could be accounted for by natural growth.
The increase in Métis income is largely driven by the increase in self-identification as reported by Statistics Canada. When a large proportion of the population, that was previously recorded as non-indigenous is now recorded as Métis, the effect is to pull the Métis statistics toward the non-indigenous average. The gains are not from an improvement of underlying factors, but largely from reclassification.