Census 2006: We Are Getting Older

Statistics Canada has released the latest census information on age and gender. Results in brief - we are getting older. An average Canadian is now 39.5 years old; almost two years older than in 2001. The youngest regions are Nunavut (median age 23.1), North West Territories (31.2) and Alberta (36.0). The oldest are BC (40.8), Quebec (41.0) as well as Atlantic Canada (40.8 in PEI to 41.8 in Newfoundland).

With fertility rate of about 1.5 children per woman, children under 14 are now only 17.7% of the population, down from 19.1% in 2001. Their share has shrunk to just over a half of what it used to be back in 1961 when one in three Canadians was under 14.

Sounds like too much math? Here's what all those numbers mean in plain English:

There are already barely enough young people entering the job market to replace those retiring as a result of the aging of the population, Statistics Canada says in its latest report on the 2006 census, a breakdown of the age and sex of the population.

“Population projections show that in about 10 years, Canada may have more people at the age where they can leave the labour force than at the age where they can begin working,” it said.

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And here's something for all my "progressive" opponents out there; for all those who believe that family values are lame, that encouraging natural growth is racist and that our primary solution should be immigration:

While immigration has had a big impact on the growth of the population, the analysis said it has done little to stop the aging of the population.

Guess what, most of the "skilled worker class" immigrants are in their late 30s. Those who came in 1990s will be retiring together with the youngest "baby boomers". But there won't be enough young people to replace them.

The age and gender data for the 2006 Census was released shortly after the latest statistics on abortions. There were 100,039 surgical abortions in 2004, slightly down from previous year. 920 of them took place in New Brunswick. I wonder if anyone else beside me bothered to mention these abortions at the public hearings, conducted by the NB Population Growth Secretariat.

The brochure, distributed by the Secretariat mentions New Brunswick's low fertility rate. But it says nothing about thousands of babies the province lost to abortions during the last decade, let alone stating the fact that while our health insurance may cover certain abortions, it excludes fertility treatment. At the meeting, there were plenty of proposals regarding immigration and retention but there was little said about the culture of life.

Average Canadian is now two years older than back in 2001. Average New Brunswicker is three years older. With the median age at 41.5, New Brunswick is the third oldest Canadian province (after Newfoundland and Nova Scotia). As the government looks for the solution to population crisis, it's important that we speak up for fetal rights and the culture of life. New Brunswick is aging faster than the rest of Canada. And you know what comes after aging.