- 'The Tearing Down of a Nation through a Thousand Cuts' by Stephen Harper

Submitted: 7:20am, PDT, 18 Jul.'10
Critics won't change census decision: Clement, CBC News, July 17, 2010
http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2010/07/16/clement-house-census.html

"[Clement] said. 'We've heard from Canadians from all walks of life who are quite relieved that we're taking this position as well.'"

"Clement concedes that he did not consult with the groups and organizations that rely on census data. But he says that when the government approached Statistics Canada about changing the census, the agency gave three options to balance the concerns of those against the long-form census and those who rely on the data obtained.

"Clement says the government chose what it felt was the best course, but he would not reveal what the other two options were."

The key to understanding all this is the statement by
Tony Clement:
" the government chose what it felt was the best course"

How about an explanation as to why Harper, Clement and all the other Con's feel it is the best. It seems that this is the same patronizing obfuscation we are getting with the $16 billion Harper and the Con's are spending on the 'next generation' fighter-jets.

When you have the Minister involved making statements like:
" We've heard from Canadians from all walks of life";
"statisticians, researchers, academics, municipalities, religious groups and others have decried the move, arguing it will result in skewed and unreliable data";
"Clement concedes that he did not consult with the groups and organizations that rely on census data"; and,
"he [Clement] would not reveal what the other two options were"

You know that there was no objective rationally approach weighing of the pro's and con's with respect to what is in the best interest of all Canadians and Harper and the Con's are looking to benefit a small segment of the population. My guess is that it is the 33% die-hards, with epicentre in Alberta.

This is bolstered by the fact that, as seems to be the general consensus with those that ought to know, it can only undermine the reliability and hence the usefulness of the information. This is not just for the private sector, but for the government as well. It undermines the federal government's ability to implement and oversee public policies that have applicability throughout all of Canada as a whole and for all Canadians. These are precisely the polices that unite all Canadians in a common cause and give us our identity as a nation.

Of course one must look at it from Harper's point of view as well - if you have dedicated the whole of your public life to dismantling Canada as a unified, cohesive nation and transferring everything to the Provinces, then why do you need a reliable, general body of data on Canadians as a nation.

As has pointed out, instead of penalties for not filling it out, pay them some money for filling it out. That does make some sense, since, after all, it is their time and the info is being used for commercial purposes, or, perhaps, some kind of tax credits, e.g. put a value on it and treat it like a charitable donation, political contribution or otherwise.

I know, how about HST exemption for one year.

PS: ask Clement the real reason the G20 was transferred to Toronto

Lloyd MacILquham cicblog.com/comments.html

see also:
http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/2010/07/16/ns-census-economist.html
Census changes bad for public: economist
Last Updated: Friday, July 16, 2010 | 10:11 AM ET Comments256Recommend141.
CBC News