Census cut controversy

The Canadian Press reports:

'OTTAWA — The Conservatives want to recall the federal industry committee right away so they can better explain their decision to axe next year’s mandatory, long census.
The long census only goes to 20 per cent of the population during every census, so 80 per cent of Canadians don’t realize how invasive it is, explained Conservative MP Maxime Bernier.
“So they don’t know what we’re talking about. And so we have to explain what we did and why we did it, and we’ll use the committee,” Bernier said in a telephone interview Sunday.
The Tories also want to use the emergency committee hearings to put the opposition Liberals on the spot, Bernier said.
“The opposition will have to explain to Canadians why they want the state and the government of Canada to know lots of details from their private lives. They will have to answer their question.”
The Conservatives axed the long form at the end of June, in a quietly published order in council.
The uproar since then has been anything but quiet. Municipal governments, provincial governments, social scientists, religious groups, medical researchers, economists, minority-rights advocates and some business groups have all decried the move.
They say the long census is a crucial tool in policy-making and in understanding local population dynamics in Canada, and can’t properly be replaced by a voluntary survey. That’s because a voluntary survey would contain a bias and omit groups that tend to object to or avoid answering questions from government agencies.'

What do you think?

Comments

[Greg Brown]

Like many Canadians, I have followed this whole Census thing with interest. I wrote about it recently in my blog, which you are all most welcome to read and share with anyone you wish. You can find it at:

http://gcbrown1956.wordpress.com

Enjoy!!

[Kathy Hagan]

I am totally against the long form census it is intrusive and I feel the government has enough information from us in the tax records. We need less government not more good riddance to bad rubbish.

[jeanette mcmanus]

the census papers are being sent out to different households...right? are we still worried about the ecology? are we worried about landfill waste? are we concerned about people being paid too much for doing paperwork for stuff that is a waste of time,...then there is wages, envelopes, stamps,electricity to keep the buildigs comfortable with air conditioners or heating, then there will be a time and motions expert to find out if this lot is not outsourced to outermongolia,or with a little bit of luck we could hire canadians to do the job...maybe?,...experience required (relatives and friends accepted of course)! ...heard the expression how to make a rich man poor?

[Martin]

One thing I noticed is the media characterization of the issue. They use terms like scrapping the long form or as in this article axing the long form. Statements like this are false and misleading and I find it disturbing that the media who profess honesty as the cornerstone of their profession would allow this.

[Angela Browne]

I do not see why it should be voluntary, then it will be biased. Very wealthy people will not fill it out, young people and aboriginals, so these groups will be excluded when it comes to planning communities. I personally think the feds are trying to cut this so they can justify cuts to social programs and health care. How do I believe this? I believe this because if accurate information is not available to fight them with, but government continues to hire private polling companies, it will be made to look like Canadians want cuts, etc. As for those who feel it is an invasion of privacy, so is filling out an income tax form. Maybe we should make that voluntary as well.

[jeanette mcmanus]

the form you fill in now has your finger prints,...ohh nooooo!,yes big brother is watching you(and you thought that day would never come), now if we all could focus on some of the unsavoury people in our midst,...(THEY ARE OUT THERE,THEY WALK AMONG US)!!

[Ken]

There seems to lots of support from people that have never had to fill out that part. I say let them, and let those that don't want to fill it out, out of a jam. I know that I will not be filling it out when it comes the next time. We need a government that keeps it hands off of us, and as long as we pay our taxes leaves us alone. The smaller the government is the better for everyone.

[evagrius]

I took a look at the long form of the census.

There's nothing in it that's really invasive of privacy. It doesn't ask questions about religion, sexual orientation or interests, drug or alcohol abuse, musical or media preferences, political views and the like.

It does ask questions about age, caretaking, how many people in the house, ancestral origin, ethnic/ racial affiliation, ( I do have a caveat about using "white" or "black" as a category...what's a white person, ( a European?).

For those concerned about privacy, I'm much more concerned about how Google tracks my Internet usage, about how credit cards follow my purchases and how stores track credit and debit card usage as well as finance companies track mortgages or savings etc; Theses trackers are private companies, not the government.

You're welcome to think that private companies are more trustworthy that the gov. I'm not.

[Dr. Shart]

Usually I forget to fill the damn things in! Usually ends up in the blue bin with the rest of the crap mailed to me daily!

[Ed2]

After filling out such a form don't be surprised at the increase of telemarketing calls, phone registry or not. I found that the best supplier of information to marketers is the government, who just happens to say the information will remain private.

I swear the government leaders should be a Headliner for the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal, they would bring the house down with their rhetoric.

"And next the HST will actually help you!! The ECO Fee will help the environment.!! Climate change causes flooding on the Red Hill Creek Expressway."

Even I would buy the DVD of their show.

[Gene Simmons]

"(Bloggers's note: If you read the full story it will be clear.)" I did read the full story. 3 times. Right off the bat, are we talking about private citizens or industry??

(Blogger's note: The long form, sent to one in every five households, asked more detailed questions on topics such as income, employment and the home. The households are selected to deliver a cross-section of the population, so the data collected can be said to be statistically sound.)

[Ken]

I am one person, who after having to do the long form three times in a row, decided to make up everything on it. I did answer truthfully the first time. I did not appreciate being told that I had to do it either. I was bothered by the people handing the surveys out.
I found out that they deliver the long forms to addresses that are specifically tied to that census, and if you live there, you will get it. Maybe you should ask that question to the real estate person when you are looking at the house. I will never ever tell the truth on that obnoxious census. The sooner they get rid of the better.

[Les P.]

I agree with Joanne. I haven't seen evidence that the census form does anything for this community. They do collect all the information but they fail to act as usual. A good nothing issue for Harper to look busy for the cameras... A good nothing issue for the media and opposition to make controversy over. A big nothing done for the people of Canada.

[Aly]

I'm with Joanne.

No matter what I say or do in this country, there is very little benefit to me and my family.

[Ian]

Ed,
There are some of us out there that think the government shouldn't provide services and "programs" for the citizens. I would be happy if they stuck with military, roads and police...that's it.
Census is infamously inaccurate and it has been said that 1 in 5 people completely lie on them.

[Steve Sheen]

How about scrapping the eco tax.

[Joanne]

While I understand the concept of requiring information in order to make policies, after I provide information, input, opinions, suggestions, you name it, and see the resulting policies and decisions made, why am I always left thinking "Well, that was useless".

[Ed]

Anyone who thinks collecting this information is an invasion of privacy should then give up the right to complain when government and policy makers waste money on programs and services that are out of touch with the populations they are meant to serve. Without high-quality non-biased information how can they be expected to understand the needs of their communities? Say good-bye to any attempt to provide health and community services that are tailored to vulnerable sub-groups and instead we will have programming and policy decisions tailored to people who like to fill out long surveys. Doesn't make much sense to me.

[Allan Taylor]

I've been asked to fill out the long form. It is invasive and unnecessary. The sooner its gone the better.

[Karen]

Historical information provided by the old censuses has been invaluable to genealogists. It has been a great help in understanding my ancestors. I say keep the long census.

[Gene Simmons]

These blog topics are getting more and more complicated...

How can it be helpful if it only goes to 20 percent of the population?
(Bloggers's note: If you read the full story it will be clear.)

[nate borges]

I read up a bit on the form. Just so I know the details. I think I filled one out in the past. Some of the question can be considered quite invasive. So these groups are saying that their members of these groups will not fill them out if its volintary so their interest wont be recognized. In the mean time these groups will also complain that if it was mandatory that it violates their privacy. Kinda sounds like your dammed if you do and damned if you dont. I think it should be voluntary. These groups need to inform their members of the importance for filling these out. Just goes to show these groups also make up the biggest portion whiners and complainers too.

[Robbie]

The less governments know about us, the better it is for us. Finally there is something good coming out of the conservative government.

[Joe]

The 2011 Census would provide statistics on the effects of policy decisions since the last census in 2006, coincidentally the year Harper took power. (You remember, the year the census tabulation was outsourced to Lockheed Martin, the geniuses behind the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter?)

And now Harper wants to axe it. How *convenient*.