Census of Canada - slashed.

[Tracey P. Lauriault]

Folks!

This is second most radical change in the Census since 1871.  The last most radical was when the Tories under Mulroney canceled the 1986 Census until legislation prevented it, and that was when our public data went up for sale.  Today's Tories are gutting it and invoking everyone's favorite argument - privacy!  Where is that analysis?  Where is the study? Where are the facts?  Where is the evidence? What are the views of Canada's Information Commissioner?  I know many who participated in consultations, and this was never on the table.

There goes longitudinal evidence-based decision making!

Ottawa Citizen:Genealogists slam new restrictions on census information - http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/Genealogists+slam+restrictions+census+information/3217316/story.html

A door to Canada's past has slammed shut, leaving future Canadians with very little information about their own families and the country's history, in a move the government says was prompted by privacy concerns.

Statistics Canada has quietly made major changes to the country's census in time for the upcoming round of national sampling in 2011. The long census questionnaire that provided information on a broad range on such topics as ethnicity, education, employment, income, housing and disability has been eliminated. Instead, those questions will be asked on a new, voluntary National Household Survey (NHS) and the results will never be released, in contrast with the treasure trove of census data that currently becomes public after 92 years.

Edmonton Journal: Restrictions on census information criticized - http://www.edmontonjournal.com/technology/Restrictions+census+information+criticized/3218903/story.html#ixzz0sLtP71az

Officials from Statistics Canada say the 2011 census went through the usual consultation process, with citizens invited to provide feedback online. The idea of doing away with the long census questionnaire form and no longer releasing the information did not become public until Saturday.

--
Tracey P. Lauriault
613-234-2805

[john whelan]

Of course they could always drop the census completely.  According to
the Economist recently Finland and a few other countries haven't used
them for a few decades. They get their information from things such as
health cards, driving licenses, school enrollment tax records  and
other government databases.  The nice thing is its more up to date and
its considerably cheaper.

The other side is that it includes many who don't think Stats Canada
is interested in counting them.  I used to work at Stats and when I
asked one of my Stat Can employees if he'd filled his census form in
he replied "I never do, they aren't interested in people like me."  I
suspect there are many more who don't fill in the forms and
unfortunately they are the ones you really would like to fill in the
forms correctly.

Cheerio John

On 30 June 2010 12:24, Tracey P. Lauriault <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Folks!
>
> This is second most radical change in the Census since 1871.  The last most
> radical was when the Tories under Mulroney canceled the 1986 Census until
> legislation prevented it, and that was when our public data went up for
> sale.  Today's Tories are gutting it and invoking everyone's favorite
> argument - privacy!  Where is that analysis?  Where is the study? Where are
> the facts?  Where is the evidence? What are the views of Canada's
> Information Commissioner?  I know many who participated in consultations,
> and this was never on the table.
>
> There goes longitudinal evidence-based decision making!
>
> Ottawa Citizen:Genealogists slam new restrictions on census information -
> http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/Genealogists+slam+restrictions+census+information/3217316/story.html
>
> A door to Canada's past has slammed shut, leaving future Canadians with very
> little information about their own families and the country's history, in a
> move the government says was prompted by privacy concerns.
>
> Statistics Canada has quietly made major changes to the country's census in
> time for the upcoming round of national sampling in 2011. The long census
> questionnaire that provided information on a broad range on such topics as
> ethnicity, education, employment, income, housing and disability has been
> eliminated. Instead, those questions will be asked on a new, voluntary
> National Household Survey (NHS) and the results will never be released, in
> contrast with the treasure trove of census data that currently becomes
> public after 92 years.
>
> Edmonton Journal: Restrictions on census information criticized -
> http://www.edmontonjournal.com/technology/Restrictions+census+information+criticized/3218903/story.html#ixzz0sLtP71az
>
> Officials from Statistics Canada say the 2011 census went through the usual
> consultation process, with citizens invited to provide feedback online. The
> idea of doing away with the long census questionnaire form and no longer
> releasing the information did not become public until Saturday.
> --
> Tracey P. Lauriault
> 613-234-2805
>
>
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