Vancouver councillor Raymond Louie criticizes plan to scrap StatsCan long form in 2011 census

A Vancouver city councillor is objecting to a federal government decision to change how information is collected from Canadian households every five years during the national census.

For the 2011 census, the government plans to eliminate a mandatory long-form questionnaire. Instead, Statistics Canada will continue use of a mandatory eight-question household survey and add a new voluntary National Household Survey.

“To promote data accuracy, this voluntary survey will be sent to a larger cross-section of households than the old long-form census,” reads a statement this week from Minister of Industry Tony Clement.

But Coun. Raymond Louie said the longer, mandatory form provides unique and valuable information used to guide social planning decisions in Vancouver.

“To make this change now would, I think, negate all the data that has previously been assembled at great cost to all Canadians,” Louie told the Straight today (July 15) by phone.

Louie expressed concern fewer people will repond to a voluntary form, which may result in a loss of information about groups including First Nations and those in poverty.

The federal government has cited concerns the longer, mandatory questionnaire infringes on the privacy of citizens.

“The government does not think it is necessary for Canadians to provide Statistics Canada with the number of bedrooms in their home, or what time of the day they leave for work, or how long it takes them to get there,” Clement says.

“The government does not believe it is appropriate to force Canadians to divulge detailed personal information under threat of prosecution.”

Louie argues the worries about privacy are not a legitimate reason to eliminate a valuable source of information for government and other groups. He claimed only three complaints were made about the mandatory form during the last census.

Vision councillors Louie and Andrea Reimer are proposing the city urge the federal government to reverse its decision to scrap the longer, mandatory census form. Their motion comes before city council on July 20.

Comments

6 Comments

Birdy

Jul 15, 2010 at 12:21pm

If it was made optional I might actually consider filling it out, you control freaks.

Even criminals have the right to remain silent, but as law-abiding Canadian citizens we're not even allowed that.

RodSmelser

Jul 15, 2010 at 10:09pm

Birdy

Even criminals have the right to remain silent,
=================================

This is just not a relevant comparison at all. The Census asks people about things like occupation and income, not what they were doing the night the bank was robbed.
Rod Smelser

glen p robbins

Jul 15, 2010 at 11:24pm

I get the surface arguments and bigger implications -- I guess I'm saying I just don't trust with Conservatives with this -- and I'm not certain why -- I'm an old soccer goalkeeper - you trust your instincts.

Birdy

Jul 16, 2010 at 11:35am

"The Census asks people about things like occupation and income, not what they were doing the night the bank was robbed."

Great, then my income tax forms should suffice, shouldn't they? Unfortunately those are not the kind of questions we are forced to answer. Here's an example of a question that was ACTUALLY on the census:

"Last week, how many hours did this person spend doing the following activities:
preparing meals, washing the car, doing laundry, cutting the grass, shopping, household planning, etc.

report all time spent on each activity, even if two or more activities took place at the same time"

Seriously, can you defend the existence of that inane question?

Migzy

Jul 16, 2010 at 12:42pm

@ Birdy
If there are some questions you feel are inane on the long form, perhaps advocate for changing those questions, instead of just eliminating the long form altogether.

Emerson

Jul 23, 2010 at 2:22am

There can be no Governmental tyranny because there is not a Liberal government.
Reality:For those (perhaps) few Canadian citizens who are required (by law and subject to penalties) to complete the long form and feel particular angst, I feel their relief.

May I suggest that EVERYONE receives the long form (with options to revert to the short form), that should in itself provide specific data for the short form users.(choosers)..