Tory Gov't Compromises Census Effectiveness--Again

[FiveParadox]

Just as the furor over the decision of Her Majesty's Government for Canada to end the mandatory long-form census had started to settle down, it turns out the Government misled Canadians when it said that it would earmark $30 million to promote the voluntary survey—the only argument that the Government could lean on to suggest that the voluntary survey would be at least somewhat effective. The Canadian Press has learned, in discussions with Statistics Canada (the federal government agency responsible for the census and other statistics-collection activities in Canada), that StatCan can only spend $15 million on promotion.

The Government, it seems, is forcing the agency to take the higher costs of the more widely-distributed survey out of the $30 million earmark. So, as the Government was telling Canadians that it was giving StatCan $30 million to promote the voluntary survey (so as to keep it just as effective as the mandatory long-form census), it was telling StatCan that it would receive $5 million for printing, $10 million to manage the two new language questions, and just $15 million for promotion. How's that for doublespeak?

Statistics Canada's work with our mandatory long-form census is highly regarded throughout the world—why would we want to not only do away with such a heralded methodology, but then move to compromise what reassurances of effectiveness we have? The Honourable Tony Clement P.C., M.P. (Parry Sound—Muskoka), the Minister of Industry and the Minister for the Federal Economic Initiative for Northern Ontario, should resign immediately—he has repeatedly mismanaged this issue.

Source

• The Globe & Mail: homepage / Government slashes funding for census participation campaign

 

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

Yes I do.

 

[petros]

Govt has no senses.

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

Harper was just looking for a fight here. All they had to do was take away the penalties for non-compliance and do more surveys, by cutting funding, they weaken the census even more. Harper is a menace.

 

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

Harper was just looking for a fight here. All they had to do was take away the penalties for non-compliance and do more surveys, by cutting funding, they weaken the census even more. Harper is a menace.

So you think people should be forced to fill out the census?

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

So you think people should be forced to fill out the census?

No, not at all. All they needed to do was just send out more forms to make up for the number that would not answer.

People want to fill out the form and do their Canadian duty. However, the threat of penalties put a bad taste in people's mouths. So all the fed govt needed to do was eliminate the potential fines and prison terms-which never happened anyway. Harper was just looking for a fight, he's a bum.

 

[JLM]

They should do whatever it takes to reduce bureaucracy. Do they have to send a bureaucrat to every house in the country to do a census? I don't think so. That is like pulling teeth through the rectum. They already know for instance what percentage of the population draws the Old Age Pension, so count up the # of pension cheques they send out each month, do the math and bingo you got your population - probably within a 100,000 or so.

 

[wulfie68]

I love the idea of reducing bureaucracy but at the same time, you cannot make informed decisions without information. Each census may not necessarily provide unexpected new information but the trends can show the direction the country is moving in, which is something our policy makers need to know. Doing things like JLM suggested in "counting up old age pension cheques" to determine the number of seniors in the country, can work in some instances but may not provide a complete picture, because of fraud, clerical errors and people not utilizing the system.

 

[JLM]

I love the idea of reducing bureaucracy but at the same time, you cannot make informed decisions without information. Each census may not necessarily provide unexpected new information but the trends can show the direction the country is moving in, which is something our policy makers need to know. Doing things like JLM suggested in "counting up old age pension cheques" to determine the number of seniors in the country, can work in some instances but may not provide a complete picture, because of fraud, clerical errors and people not utilizing the system.

Good points Wulfie, I guess what it boils down to is how much money do we want to spend to fine tune that final 1%. I'm not sure how the extra bureaucracy required will reduce the errors or the fraud, probably just generate more.

 

[mentalfloss]

I love the idea of reducing bureaucracy but at the same time, you cannot make informed decisions without information. Each census may not necessarily provide unexpected new information but the trends can show the direction the country is moving in, which is something our policy makers need to know. Doing things like JLM suggested in "counting up old age pension cheques" to determine the number of seniors in the country, can work in some instances but may not provide a complete picture, because of fraud, clerical errors and people not utilizing the system.

Exactly. I'm shocked that anyone would not support a serious investment into information gathering and statistical data. It's these same organizations that actually help with transparency. We need to take money away from military expenditures and channel it into objective analyses that actually inform the public.

 

[CDNBear]

Exactly. I'm shocked that anyone would not support a serious investment into information gathering and statistical data. It's these same organizations that actually help with transparency. We need to take money away from military expenditures and channel it into objective analyses that actually inform the public.

Ya, the public should be more informed, then protected and served...

Highway 402 still closed as crews clear snow

The census is pretty much a waste of time anyways. All Gov't agencies keep detailed accounting on their clients. Many services even ask ethnicity in the applications, not that it actually matters anyways.

It's a useless waste of funds, whose days have long since past.

 

[JLM]

Exactly. I'm shocked that anyone would not support a serious investment into information gathering and statistical data. It's these same organizations that actually help with transparency. We need to take money away from military expenditures and channel it into objective analyses that actually inform the public.

That kind of boneheaded remark comes from equating military with war. Military is used for many domestic situations, as a matter of fact I think they were involved with the recent traffic dilemma near Sarnia. With so much of Canada potentially due for a disasterous earthquake, military may come in very handy. "Information gathering and statistical data" eat up many tax dollars - we have far too many "studies" whereby statistical data that is not necessarily factual is gathered.

 

[CDNBear]

That kind of boneheaded remark comes from equating military with war.

A common failing of the darling left.

 

[geiseric]

They should do whatever it takes to reduce bureaucracy. Do they have to send a bureaucrat to every house in the country to do a census? I don't think so. That is like pulling teeth through the rectum. They already know for instance what percentage of the population draws the Old Age Pension, so count up the # of pension cheques they send out each month, do the math and bingo you got your population - probably within a 100,000 or so.

Since its a valuable metric, do you really think it's a good idea to do what it takes to cross reference that information with the median age of people within pension recipient's catchment area(s) by rendering data from other sources and cross matching it?

 

[JLM]

Since its a valuable metric, do you really think it's a good idea to do what it takes to cross reference that information with the median age of people within pension recipient's catchment area(s) by rendering data from other sources and cross matching it?

What's that mean in English? :smile:

 

[geiseric]

It means opinions are cheap.

 

[CDNBear]

Since its a valuable metric, do you really think it's a good idea to do what it takes to cross reference that information with the median age of people within pension recipient's catchment area(s) by rendering data from other sources and cross matching it?

Not really. Mailing addresses are sufficient means. Unless you're assuming Gov't employees are incapable of using google maps.

Which is actually a distinct possibility.

It means opinions are cheap.

So are ignorant smug replies.

 

[geiseric]

...Mailing addresses are sufficient means...

You have no problem with the CRA transfering personal identifiers to another department without your permission? Right now it's illegal.

How about the same dataset going to the municipalities? They'll need them there too.

 

[CDNBear]

You have no problem with the CRA transfering personal identifiers to another department without your permission? Right now it's illegal.

All that is needed is data. There is no need to pass on any more information then would be collected by the census. In the case as JLM put forth, age and what not, by area. With all the Gov't services accessed by the general public, the collation of data would be easy.

The census has been made redundant by technology. People with stalwart ideologies simply cling to it as a topic to beat up the Cons with. Given the real blunders by Harpo and company, bitching about this is just silly.

Anymore straw you want to throw on the fire?

 

[DaSleeper]

Recieved in an email this morning....it deals with passeports but the same could be said for the census:smile:

Will try to find an english version......

YouTube - Passeport