The think tanks are talkin'
TWO CALLS FOR A NATIONAL, INDEPENDENT STATISTICAL AGENCY
The Mowat Centre has just published two calls for the creation of a
national, independent statistical agency, in light of the recent
controversy about the census.
Arthur Sweetman and Herb Emery <
http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103601288521&s=2140&e=001B-vEkkTgnIHg4mmUX_htvzo3Z6XmWf4GryRcZvDRYV6Vh_hyG69aIG3VplxyewZwTWBkTF15YTQK9iV5VBe2qaSOfmaBaCwsAnNxT_aCX7cChCCjvbTssV730NjqdqyDsT4uZkgl35mEI6oV-nimNHeoHQm-djzT>
make the case for a federal-provincial-territorial process to lead to
the creation of such an agency, and identify a unique short-term
compromise to the current impasse.
Debra Thompson <
http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103601288521&s=2140&e=001B-vEkkTgnIEBDfCqdp-Pio-1AHkiFeK6PjK3F22vSsy5HzkGu0svHjadzkqTqOlIBGVrCHOfLE6IYfEKaervskSBTVvN8IwCaY3Fbcp_DdwV8aHqQhJtcvMpqhoAt-HMFUzdYRAyMQNnGGmE1xIaiIE4qSbTDpaO>
documents the ways in which other countries have tried to keep the
collection of statistical data immune from partisan politics, and offers
several recommendations that would keep Canadian data collection
independent.
The controversy over the census highlights two issues of importance to the Mowat Centre.
First, provinces and municipalities are among those who use Statistics
Canada data on a daily basis. Federal government decisions can have an
enormous impact on provincial and municipal governments, and these are
often made without sufficient consultation.
Second, policy decisions - just like decisions in the private sector and
elsewhere - are better when made with the best quality evidence.
Decisions around the future of the census should be driven by the need
for obtaining the highest quality data.
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Tracey P. Lauriault
613-234-2805
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