Debate over long-form census questionnaire in Canada

The Ontario government is urging Ottawa to reconsider its controversial decision to scrap the long-form census questionnaire, warning that the loss of detailed data threatens some provincial programs—including the strategy to reduce poverty.

“We are major consumers of that data. There was, as I understand it, no consultation in advance of this,” Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan told reporters Tuesday in Toronto.

In a letter to Canada’s chief statistician, deputy minister Peter Wallace warns that the loss of census information will have a “lasting, negative impact” on some provincial programs.

Links:

• Ontario blasts plan to scrap long-form census
• Manitoba, Ontario among provinces backing long census
• Conservatives illustrate how to govern badly 
• Census uproar turns to silence in big business community