Stand up and be counted - but only if you feel like it?
We ask because an increasing number of a broad range of organizations and individuals are casting a skeptical eye at proposed changes to next year's Canadian census. These changes should be a cause of concern for Canadians - Torontonians especially.
In a nutshell, here's what's being proposed by the federal government: instead of a mandatory long form, randomly given out to one in every five people across the country, a voluntary form will be sent out instead to more respondents (one in three). The much shorter survey, which goes out to all Canadians, remains compulsory.
Critics have suggested making the long form voluntary will skew the statistical integrity of the data collected, among which are answers to specific questions dealing with education, employment and immigration, among other areas.
Making the form voluntary, they argue, will reduce the compliance rate significantly and provide a less clear picture of who we are and what we need.
Among those who have publicly raised objections include representatives of Toronto Public Health, the United Way of Greater Toronto, and Toronto Dominion Senior Economist Don Drummond.
In general, we object as well, as the proposal certainly raises some questions.
First, given the federal government has cited privacy concerns as a reason for the switch, where is the evidence to suggest Statistics Canada has been negligent in their duties to protect the privacy of previous respondents?
Second, what evidence is there to support this change will maintain or even improve the accuracy of the data collected? At best, the proposal is more like a roll of the dice than anything else. Why risk compromising the data?
If this is really about privacy, surely it's more fiscally prudent to review policies and procedures at Statistics Canada and correct any shortcomings there.
Also, sending more forms with the expectation that some won't even be filled out is not fiscally prudent.
Ultimately, if this kind of data clearly matters - and it does - filling out the long form shouldn't be an optional exercise. All kinds of organizations rely on this kind of data - ironically enough, those in government especially, to provide a wide variety of services, especially to those most vulnerable.
Here in Toronto, home to all manner of diversity - including racial, ethnic and economic - the negative impacts would be felt even more greatly.
Public consultation on this important item was clearly lacking. The census is a vital document of public record. Changes - especially ones that carry a significant risk - to how Canadians' information is collected deserve more consideration.