A majority of Canadians believe the long form census yields important data and should remain mandatory.
Many Canadians disagree with their government’s move to scrap the mandatory long form census, and are calling on the federal government to reverse its recent decision, a new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll has found.
In previous years, the census included a short form mailed to 80 per cent of Canadian households, and a longer, more detailed form mailed to the remaining households. Last month, the federal government decided to eliminate the mandatory long form census and replace it with a voluntary survey that will be mailed to one-in-three Canadian households beginning next year.
In the online survey of a representative sample of 1,012 Canadians, almost half of respondents (47%) oppose the federal government’s decision to scrap the mandatory long form census, while 38 per cent support it. Opposition to the federal government’s move is highest in Ontario (54%) and British Columbia (53%).
The federal government has argued that the long form census is intrusive and Canadians should not be forced to answer it. Only one-in-four Canadians (24%) agree with this assessment, while a large majority (58%) think the long form census yields data that is important to make policy decisions in all areas of public service, and should remain mandatory.
The decision to scrap the mandatory long form census has been criticized by several provincial premiers, and ultimately led the head of Statistics Canada, Munir Sheikh, to leave his post.
More than half of Canadians (52%) believe the federal government should reverse its decision and keep the mandatory long form census. Conversely, 27 per cent of respondents want the federal government to stick by its assessment and carry on with the voluntary survey.
Political Allegiance
A large proportion of Canadians who voted for the Liberal Party (72%) and the New Democratic Party (NDP) (71%) believe that the federal government should reverse its decision and keep the mandatory long form census. Respondents who voted for the Conservative Party are almost evenly divided on this issue, with 42 per cent wanting the government to reverse its move, and 39 per cent arguing that the decision should stand.
While respondents who voted for the Conservatives are more likely to side with the government’s argument that the long form census is intrusive (31%, compared to 19% for both Liberal and NDP voters), a majority of Tory supporters (53%) believe that the long form census yields data that is important to make policy decisions in all areas of public service, and should remain mandatory.
Full Report, Detailed Tables and Methodology (PDF)
CONTACT:
Jodi Shanoff, Senior Vice President, Public Affairs
+416 712 5498
jodi.shanoff@angus-reid.com
Methodology: From July 22 to July 23, 2010, Angus Reid Public Opinion conducted an online survey among 1,012 randomly selected Canadian adults who are Angus Reid Forum panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.1%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of Canada. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.
As someone who worked the Census 2010 in CA, I got a lot of people that where so privet, and rude. The Census does have a good point , but I think we might be asking to much info. Here is one thing I will never understand. If race does not matter and we have moved past all that, then why do we ask “what is your race?” We are better than that. Why do we sitll go there. I don’t think a race should get extra from the gov. At one least person from every kind of race is in pain and in need. Why only give extra help to some race and not equal for all in need and in paine. As a white person The County in San Diego will not help, but will help anyone other race that is in the same postin that I am in.
Let’s make this an election issue, because an election is looming for this Fall … and Harper may even pull the plug on Parliament in the last days of the Summer Recess … not even allowing the HoCs to reconvene and just going straight into an election where Harper will be openly asking Canadians for a majority gov’t to combat the threat of new global recessionary forces invading Canada … without also having to fight off the back-stabbing Opposition and their constant threat of defeat and a Coalition Troika Junta (Libs-Dips-Seps) with no mandate from Canadians to govern.
Observant I see you are even here spewing your Troika Junta bile BS. Harper is not going to call an election or try and force one over this stupid move of his or any other of his recent gaffs he has pulled off this summer. The polls are not there for his Majority and never will be.
How many of the respondents in this poll were forced to participate?
This was an non-mandatory survey so it must not be accurate. Or are you suggesting that this survey is accurate but a non-mandatory census survey it inaccurate. Oh the twists of logic of weak minded Liberals is very entertaining to behold.
All those who argue for compelling Canadians to complete the long form census deflect and obfuscate from what they are arguing for. They are arguing that you must be fined or go to jail if you decide not to provide personal information to the government.
This is a losing argument for any politician. The Liberals are falling into the trap.
Yes. Let’s fight an election over this. Freedom vs Government control. The silent majority vs the loud special interests.
Go ahead, make my day Iggy. Thank you Mr Harper … more please.
Another non-issue generated and supported by the Lame Stream Media. Anybody watching this fiasco knows the real reason for this “outrage”, is that the Liberal Express has hit the ditch. You’ll notice the mediais failing to report any attendance figures for Iggy’s Follies. I’m still waiting for the media to report the “outrage” of the carbon footprint the Liberal Express is spewing into our atmosphere. Where’s the “outrage”? I guess it’s just saved for Conservatives.For the most part, the media in Canada is pathetic!
What? *kinda mumbles* …chickens, and cows? …makes no sence
Here’s an idea… Instead of making policy based on factual data such as, oh I don’t know, census data. Let’s just go with our gut instict. If I think something’s should be this way or that, everyone else must too, right? Like ‘O Canada’ HOLEY SEXISM right? I KNOW!
If the numbers, never add up the right way, if the facts tell a different story, if the scientist and researchers provide distasteful data… get rid of them. Just like we got rid of the reform party (those crazy nutjobs)… oh wait, they came back, didn’t they?
What kind of nut would disapprove of not being FORCED to fill out a form of census hated for as long as it has existed and for the dubious reason of finding more ways to redistribute other people’s money in our so called free country?, have Canadians lost their minds or is the news being created by a few far left wingbats with only an illusionary grasp of the concept of a free society?
Facts aren’t important. In fact, they have a nasty habit of getin’ in the way of belief. Sure, let’s trust people who don’t know how to spell “science” or “statistics” to judge whether what’s important.
Yep, let’s just ferget about all that “exact” science and statistics nonsense and just make stuff up. It’s worked for thousands of years.
I will give the census only the information that I feel they need to know. Beyond that, if I feel it is intrusive, I will answer with a N/A and at the end explain that my information is given on a need to know basis and N/A means that they don’t need to know.