Fwd: [spno-data] FYI - StatsCan panel tried to fight decision to kill long-form census: documents (Canada.com)
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Fwd: [spno-data] FYI - StatsCan panel tried to fight decision to kill long-form census: documents (Canada.com)
 
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---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Ted Hildebrandt <[hidden email]> Date: Wed, Mar 2, 2011 at 11:16 AM Subject: [spno-data] FYI - StatsCan panel tried to fight decision to kill long-form census: documents (Canada.com) To: [hidden email] Cc: [hidden email] StatsCan panel tried to fight decision to kill long-form census: documents OTTAWA — Statistics Canada's arm's length panel of experts went into revolt when it was informed of the government's unilateral decision to scrap the long-form census, internal documents show. The government-appointed National Statistics Council that advises the agency was kept in the dark about the decision. And while most of its members stayed quiet publicly through the controversy, documents obtained by Postmedia News show a flurry of messages urging the agency and government to reconsider or to explain the decision. "We should do whatever we can to indicate that our advisory council is opposed to this change and/or reverse this decision," wrote Janet Smylie, a professor at the University of Toronto, adding that the move would have a "devastating" impact on the ability to track aboriginals and other marginalized groups. Another member wrote Tony Clement, who oversees Statistics Canada in his role as industry minister, condemning the lack of consultation and urging him to call an emergency meeting of the council. Bill Robson, president of the C.D. Howe Institute, thought the council should have a voice in "such a momentous change" but suggested they could be most effective in providing "the best private (and possibly less-than-unanimous) advice" to then-chief statistician Munir Sheikh. Ian McKinnon, chair of the council, asked Sheikh whether Statistics Canada had any information on the impact of the decision. "No, we haven't prepared any material on the impacts," Sheik replied. In late June 2010, the government announced it was scrapping Canada's mandatory long-form census in 2011 and replacing it with a voluntary National Household Survey (NHS). The announcement drew widespread criticism from experts and organizations who said it would create a skewed demographic portrait of the country. Sheikh ultimately resigned in protest after Clement suggested his agency had signed off on the decision. The documents obtained through an access-to-information request offer a behind-the-scenes glimpse of how the government tried to distance itself from the census decision from the start. For instance, four days before the decision was announced, Statistics Canada and Industry Canada officials were corresponding about the text of the letter that would be sent to Statistics Canada staff, government departments and other stakeholders informing them of the change. Two of Clement's staff members instructed Statistics Canada officials to delete the phrase "as per government decision" so the letter simply said the information previously collected on the mandatory long-form census would now be included on the voluntary NHS. "This would bring the letter more in line with the communications strategy I discussed earlier with StatsCan officials," wrote Erik Waddell, Clement's director of communications. The phrase "as per government decision" is blacked out repeatedly in the documents released to Postmedia News. The memos and emails reveal that a handful of senior Statistics Canada officials were working closely with the Privy Council Office and Clement's staff on a communications plan two months before the decision was made public — and were even strategizing how to stagger emails informing staff members and others of the news. In the thick of the controversy, Clement's office requested a "standard census reply letter" for the deluge of public and media inquiries. Two days later, Statistics Canada staff provided a generic letter "into which issue-specific sentences/paragraphs can be inserted if necessary." "The text is also consistent with the revised PCO messages," the Statistics Canada official noted. It appears the government and agency anticipated that Statistics Canada's autonomy would be called into question, with an advance memo outlining the agency's "media lines," including a question on what the census decision meant for Statistics Canada's reputation as an independent statistical agency. "It is not clear why this decision by the government has anything to do with the independence of Statistics Canada," the proposed response read. "According to law, census questions/content are what cabinet decides them to be. This is exactly what cabinet has done." Similarly, the first item on a July 6 memo outlining Statistics Canada's "key messages" for media read: "The government is not interfering with Statistics Canada's affairs." It was not clear where the memo originated. At one point, Industry Canada staff sent Statistics Canada officials an urgent information request from Clement's office seeking a list of other surveys "that are relevant, even though they are voluntary" and examples of "disingenuous" responses to the long-form census in the past, including 55,000 people who listed their religion as "Jetty (sp?)" — an apparent reference to people who claimed to follow the Star Ward 'Jedi' faith. Two weeks after the decision to scrap the long-form census was made public, an unknown person (some names and emails of non-government individuals were redacted) sent Sheikh an email noting that "constituents" had expressed concerns about its elimination and asking whether the decision could be reversed. "I cannot speculate on what the government may or may not do," Sheikh replied. "It is a decision the government took, that StatsCan is implementing to the best of its ability. If people have questions regarding the decision, they should contact the office of the minister responsible for Statistics Canada." The same day, someone else sent Sheikh an email asking if Statistics Canada had in fact, approved the changes to the census, as Clement had suggested in an interview that day. The letter writer insisted Sheikh had "no choice but to resign" if the statement was false. "Your minister is attempting to use you as cover for partisan purposes," the person wrote. Sheikh resigned a few days later. © Copyright (c) Postmedia News
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