Statistics Canada head quits, cites loss of independence

Locutus

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Brian Lilley Verified account ‏@brianlilley

Brian Lilley Retweeted Metro News Canada
So DND must use the same IT services but @StatCan_eng is a special snowflake? This guy is a cry baby on a power play


Lorrie Goldstein Verified account ‏@sunlorrie

What? All not happy in Trudeauland now that Harper is gone? Statistics Canada head quits, cites loss of independence

OTTAWA — Wayne Smith, the head of Statistics Canada, is resigning, saying the independence of his agency is compromised by new information-technology arrangements.

In an e-mail to the National Statistical Council, Smith says Shared Services Canada now holds an effective veto over many of the statistical agency's operations.

Smith says in the email he can't support federal initiatives to centralize IT services that effectively compromise the independence of Statistics Canada, which the federal government purports to protect.

He says he does not wish to preside over what he describes as the decline of a world-leading statistical office.

The battle of over IT is part of a larger issue regarding Smith's push to prevent political considerations from affecting the work Statistics Canada does, such as the decision of the previous Conservative government to make the long-form census a voluntary survey.

The Liberals promised in the election to give Statistics Canada more independence from government intervention and were expected to table legislation this fall to follow through on the pledge.


Statistics Canada head quits, cites loss of independence | National Newswatch


#shiny

oh the drama! :lol:






Brian Platt ‏@btaplatt

This is what it looks like when Canada's chief statistician resigns. (Seriously. These are from today.)




a statistician. Lol.
 

tay

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In an e-mail to the National Statistical Council, Smith – who joined Statistics Canada in 1981 – explained that the previous Harper government had "significantly compromised the independence of Statistics Canada."

The Liberal Party's 2015 election platform explicitly promised to "make Statistics Canada fully independent" again but they have failed to do so.

UPDATE: According to the Ottawa Citizen, Smith sent an additional e-mail to Statistics Canada employees on Friday elaborating in greater detail on his concerns about Shared Services Canada and his inability to "convince the current government to correct the situation."