French Language Trends in the NWT. The French language population in the NWT is also comparatively small although its strength and sustainability are different given the language’s strong presence elsewhere in Canada and the world. In 2001, the total number of people that reported French as their mother tongue was about 950 or 2% of the NWT population while a total of 3,170 people, or some 8% of the NWT population, reported being able to speak French. The age distribution of people able to speak French remained relatively unchanged between 1996 and 2001 (Figure 4). Whereas during this period there was a slight increase in the number of people able to speak French, from 3,050 to 3,170, there was a decline in the number of those identifying French as their mother tongue (Figure 5). Unlike the age distribution of individuals able to speak French (which is more like that of Aboriginal language communities in the NWT), the distribution for mother tongue indicates that this population is largely made up of adults between 25 and 54 years of age. Figure 4, Number of People Able to Speak French by Age, 1996 and 2001 1996 (total = 3,050) 2001 (total = 3,170) 600 Number 400 200 0 5-14 15-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65 + Age Cohort Source: Statistics Canada, 1996 and 2001 Census Figure 5, Number of People with French as their Mother Tongue by Age, 1996 and 2001 1996 (total = 1,040) 2001 (total = 950) 300 Number 225 150 75 0 0-4 5-14 15-24 00-00 00-00 00-00 00-00 65 + Age Cohort Source: Statistics Canada, 1996 and 2001 Census Almost 90% of the NWT Francophone population was born outside the NWT. The population is concentrated largely in Yellowknife with smaller French language communities in Hay River, Fort Xxxxx and Inuvik. The French mother tongue population almost tripled between 1951 and 199632 but consists largely of adults with only 8.3% being under age 15 years compared to 29% for the NWT as a whole. With respect to labour force occupation, the largest group of Francophones (19.7%) are involved in public administration followed by those in education (11.2%), in health and social services (9.9%) and in transportation (8.6%).
