I’ve been slow to make up my mind about how I feel about the whole long form census debacle. I guess it’s because I have had to fill out the long form a couple of times in my adult life and I do it without complaint because as far as I’m concerned it’s like voting. It’s your civic duty. It takes about as much time as casting a ballot. Do I find the innocuous questions intrusive? Not at all. Am I concerned that the data collected will leave some organizations, municipalities etc. high and dry when it comes to important data that the long form provides? You betcha. Even in my capacity as a reporter I find myself searching Statistics Canada’s website frequently. It provides a great resource for everyone. Case in point, 2 weeks before the G-8, I found myself seething at an article in a national newspaper that suggested the average household income in Muskoka was $73,000.00. I immediately headed to Stats Can and refuted their claim (the paper was insinuating that Muskoka was a wealthy community and did not deserve the $50-million in G-8 Infrastructure spending). Just a small point, put it certainly provided some information to battle back with. So, now it’s been left that the short form census is still mandatory and to refuse to fill it out could still result in fines and possible jail terms. The Conservatives have announced a new long form (not mandatory) called the National Household Survey. Well Tony, send one my way….I’m happy to do my part to provide a clearer picture on the needs of the Canadian public.
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