The Conservative government is sticking with its decision to eliminate the mandatory long census form for the 2011 census of Canada, despite criticism from statisticians and users alike. Industry Minister Tony Clement, who is responsible for Statistics Canada, has cited an unspecified number of privacy concerns as the reason for the change, but according to an Ottawa Citizen article, a comprehensive report on feedback from the last census makes no mention of widespread privacy concerns.
For over 30 years, Statistics Canada has required the long census form to be completed by 20 percent of residents during a census. The other 80 percent of Canadian residents are required to fill in a short form of just eight questions. The long-form questionnaire will be replaced by a new voluntary National Household Survey (NHS) which will be sent to a third of residents. The trouble with the new form being voluntary is that people who volunteer to fill in the form are less likely to be representative of the Canadian population as a whole. For example, statisticians say poor people are far less likely to fill in a voluntary form.
The long-form questionnaire included questions on a variety of issues, like migration, ethnicity, work, education, housing, income, child care and family life. Analysis of the cumulative data from the long form is used not just by researchers, journalists and businesses, but even more important, by policy makers at all levels of government in Canada. Making the long form voluntary won't save any money, in fact it could cost more, and it will make the data less reliable. It also will reinforce a growing tendency for Canadian government policy to be based on ideology rather than factual analysis.
More About the Canadian Census
Don't Mess With the Census, Statisticians Tell Tories - The Globe and Mail
Why the Census Matters - The Calgary Herald
Detailed Census Data Invaluable for Sound Policy - The StarPhoenix
Canadian Statistics
Comments
Hey, Canada, the census counts.
I have not been able to find one single logical explination for this decision other than ideological: A libertarian-style “protecting Canadians’ privacy rights”, “lessen government’s reach into the lives of Canadians”. Fair enough… However, I would be really, really surprised if a single Canadian (although there is a slight chance) would actually have said “change the census obligations” if asked which issues they thought the government should be focussing on. I often wonder, each time such an irrelevant issue arises, where the Harper government thinks up these “bright” ideas. Like, honestly, who thought up the “bright” idea to tinker with the words to our national anthem? There are a number of much more important things to be concentrating on.
Having worked the Census for years, I can attest to the fact that MOST people were glad they received the short form. This comment was made over and over and over. “Oh, I am glad I didn’t get the long form!!” I would bet that a lot of the people saying they would not mind the long form have never had to fill one out!!!
Every white person, any person from abroad, from United States, foreigners from anywhere that are not aboriginal, and I don’t ant these white people that claim to be par this or 1/10 and so no to believe they are aboriginal. To be truly an aboriginal is to not only to be one, is to live and not deny that you are an aboriginal. You have to live and breath the life of an aboriginal with all the aboriginal beliefs and rights and rituals practiced. All of you foreigners need to tell the truth, and in most cases, for the first time in their lives, to tell the truth to your where you originated and where your loyalities lie. No one likes an apple, so don’t even bother, i’ve met enough of you. Spill your guts, no one can shut ya up anyway, now haeres your chance to say something on your best subject, yourself. Can’t shut ya’s up any other time.
I read both the Calgary and the Windsor Star articles about this census kerfluffle. I doubt the government cares about whether my house needs a coat of paint (That’s what the Windsor Star says the long form has demanded. I’ve never had the long form, and the short form wants nothing that they don’t get from the income tax and the city property tax forms.) but they should know how many of us take the bus to work, how much recycling or garbage dumping we do, whether we attend public, private/homeschool, or separate schools, how many people in the household are employed and at what, and whether we are new arrivals from what countries, born Canadians or aboriginals. (I agree with Mr. Hill that being 1/10 of a race does not make one part of that race, any more than having religious parents makes you a member of that religion.)
Personally, I want the long form to be available to everyone – not just a selected third – and that it includes realistic questions about using roads, schools, parks, recreation, libraries, religious life (or non-religious life. That choice should be recorded), ethnicity (and how many generations removed from ‘the old country’ and if any ancestral practices are still practiced.) type of employment (BTW small storekeepers should get some incentives to hire staff. I can’t believe how many work at least 16/7 in my city.) The little details do count; but how many times the car is washed? That can’t be the type of question on the long form, is it?
Statics Canada is envied by many countries world wide because of the information that is gathered. Without the long form there is much data won’t be collected that is important to many municipalites. Objections to the long form are needless paranoia from people who are trying to hide something. Am I wrong; the information you enter is voluntary and confidential and ‘Big Brother’ will not be knocking at your door?