[DrCaleb]

$1:

Restoring Canada Starts With Reinstating the Long-Form Census

Canadians from small and large towns alike would like to count on Justin Trudeau, the prime minister-designate, to restore the count.

Canadians have gifted an overwhelming mandate to Mr. Trudeau, partially to undo the harm done to the federal government institutions by the Harper Conservatives. Mr. Trudeau could begin by reinstating the count -- the long-form Census, which Stephen Harper's government disbanded in 2010 and replaced with a voluntary and almost useless survey.

Because it takes months, if not years, to prepare for the census scheduled for 2016, timing is of the essence. The decision on census cannot wait until the Parliament is convened in December or later. The decision has to come now so that the officials at Statistics Canada can initiate planning for the long-form census.

Restoring the long-form census could be a defining characteristic of the new Liberal government. Unlike the Harper Conservatives who governed by ideology and did not let data or facts dissuade them, the Liberals should embrace evidence-based planning and governance. It will be timely because in the world of big data analytics, turning our back on data, as the Conservatives did, has harmed Canada's competitiveness.

Mr. Harper's Conservative government systematically weakened federal government institutions. They did so by imposing crippling budget cuts on Statistics Canada and by silencing the scientists whose research findings did not conform to the Conservative agenda. Mr. Harper even foolishly quarreled with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. Instead of strengthening the capacity to collect and analyze information, Mr. Harper's government undermined Statistics Canada to such an extent that it lacked the resources to analyze some survey data it had spent millions to collect.

Furthermore, the budget cuts forced the statistical agency to discontinue numerous surveys that collected invaluable information about Canada's economy and its people.

Despite the almost unanimous opposition to the government's decision to abolish the long-form census, the Harper government proceeded with the decision. The Conservatives' excuse to abolish the census was a red herring under the guise of safeguarding individuals' rights to privacy. When forced to reveal how many constituents had in fact objected to the mandatory census, the Conservatives could produce only a handful of discontents.

Statistics Canada is one federal institution that impacts the productivity of all other departments in federal, provincial and municipal governments. It collects, analyzes and disseminates information on the socio-economic well-being of Canadians. Without the valuable information it collects, businesses will struggle to define their competitive advantage, and governments will not know what policies are more effective in improving the welfare of Canadians.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/murtaza-ha ... 51492.html

[andyt]

Poor JT has such a big mess to undo, he won't know where to start, and people will jump on him because he didn't start with their pet peeve.

[Thanos]

Opposes government surveillance of potential terrorists through metadata gathering of cell phone and computer activity, approves of forcing citizens to mandatorily provide every single bit of personal information about them under the guise of a census. Meet the new boss, worse than the old boss. ....

[andyt]

[DrCaleb]

andyt andyt:

:roll:

Double

One thing Stats Canada was never accused of doing, was being careless with personal information acquired through the census. They didn't even care if you gave your real name, just that your answers were accurate.

But to run the country, this information was vital.

[andyt]

Well, I don't know. Imagine the horrors the govt could perpetrate if they knew accurately how many refrigerators you had in your home.

[Thanos]

Yes, undoing a decade of Harperite troops on the streets fascism requires the return of a census where the government can massively fine anyone who doesn't knuckle under and co-operate. Not a good return to your kinder, friendlier government if the first thing you want brought back is this kind of hammer to be used on dissenters. Up next, the return of the gun registry, along with an emphatic "tell us everything you own or it'll be plan B for you, pal".

[fifeboy]

Thanos Thanos:

Yes, undoing a decade of Harperite troops on the streets fascism requires the return of a census where the government can massively fine anyone who doesn't knuckle under and co-operate. Not a good return to your kinder, friendlier government if the first thing you want brought back is this kind of hammer to be used on dissenters. Up next, the return of the gun registry, along with an emphatic "tell us everything you own or it'll be plan B for you, pal".

Oh good grief!

[DrCaleb]

Thanos Thanos:

Yes, undoing a decade of Harperite troops on the streets fascism requires the return of a census where the government can massively fine anyone who doesn't knuckle under and co-operate. Not a good return to your kinder, friendlier government if the first thing you want brought back is this kind of hammer to be used on dissenters. Up next, the return of the gun registry, along with an emphatic "tell us everything you own or it'll be plan B for you, pal".

And how many have ever been prosecuted for failing to fill out the census? One?

[Thanos]

Show that liberals believe in freedom by telling the government that anyone who doesn't want to participate in the long for census doesn't have to and won't be subject to any fines for choosing to opt out. If you don't then you're as full of the anti freedom mentality that you guys kept accusing the previous government of. But, but we need all that vital information as we design another bunch of gravy train programs for all the niqab wearers and other victims of redneck racism!

[Thanos]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Thanos Thanos:

Yes, undoing a decade of Harperite troops on the streets fascism requires the return of a census where the government can massively fine anyone who doesn't knuckle under and co-operate. Not a good return to your kinder, friendlier government if the first thing you want brought back is this kind of hammer to be used on dissenters. Up next, the return of the gun registry, along with an emphatic "tell us everything you own or it'll be plan B for you, pal".

And how many have ever been prosecuted for failing to fill out the census? One?

If there was even one then it was one too many. I find it astounding that you, who supported people like Edward Snowden who stole intelligence data and gave it to the fucking Russians, aren't even willing to say that anyone who doesn't want to participate in an intrusive census shouldn't be punished for making a choice the government doesn't like. What's next, armed troops forcing the census to be filled out at gunpoint because that's, like, something Harper probably would have done.

[DrCaleb]

Thanos Thanos:

Show that liberals believe in freedom by telling the government that anyone who doesn't want to participate in the long for census doesn't have to and won't be subject to any fines for choosing to opt out. If you don't then you're as full of the anti freedom mentality that you guys kept accusing the previous government of.

Mmm, no. The previous government did not bring in the Long Form Census, it's been around in some form since the 1600's.

And, are you calling me a Liberal?!?

Thanos Thanos:

But, but we need all that vital information as we design another bunch of gravy train programs for all the niqab wearers and other victims of redneck racism!

See andy! Right there, that's 'non-sequitur'.

Without proper data on what the country is and what it's doing, we can make no plans for the future.

http://www.citylab.com/politics/2015/02 ... us/385846/
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/loss-of-lo ... -1.1273352

Without that information, future planning will cost more, and do less. Sounds like a bargain to me!

[martin14]

Thanos Thanos:

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Thanos Thanos:

Yes, undoing a decade of Harperite troops on the streets fascism requires the return of a census where the government can massively fine anyone who doesn't knuckle under and co-operate. Not a good return to your kinder, friendlier government if the first thing you want brought back is this kind of hammer to be used on dissenters. Up next, the return of the gun registry, along with an emphatic "tell us everything you own or it'll be plan B for you, pal".

And how many have ever been prosecuted for failing to fill out the census? One?

If there was even one then it was one too many. I find it astounding that you, who supported people like Edward Snowden who stole intelligence data and gave it to the fucking Russians, aren't even willing to say that anyone who doesn't want to participate in an intrusive census shouldn't be punished for making a choice the government doesn't like. What's next, armed troops forcing the census to be filled out at gunpoint because that's, like, something Harper probably would have done.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Or get worse.

[andyt]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Thanos Thanos:

But, but we need all that vital information as we design another bunch of gravy train programs for all the niqab wearers and other victims of redneck racism!

See andy! Right there, that's 'non-sequitur'.

Nope. I would call that a red herring for sure. Or maybe a straw man.

[Thanos]

Everyone is the same good little Nazi on the inside when it comes to the things they want to leave unimpeded and the things they want the hammer brought down on. Liberals are no different, no matter how much they protest to the contrary.