Reinstate the Long-form Census :: Join our Social Media Campaign January 28 :: Politics of Evidence Action

[Attachment stripped: Original attachment type: "application/pdf", name: "Long form Census Joint Statement - FINAL.pdf"][Attachment stripped: Original attachment type: "image/jpeg", name: "Census vs. NHS.jpeg"]Dear all,

The Politics of Evidence Working
Group<http://politicsofevidence.wordpress.com/> at York University is
supporting a Canada-wide action to bring back the long-form census.
Join us to become part of a nation-wide social media campaign
launching tomorrow, Wednesday January 28. The aim is to get this issue
trending on social media to bring mainstream media attention to the
government's cancellation of the long-form census.

Background
In 2010, the federal government ended the long-form census that had
informed policy decisions and social research across the country. As
information becomes an increasingly valuable commodity in today's
world, Canada made a conscious decision to blindly walk away from
vital data about our culture and society.

Bill C-626, An Act to Amend the Statistics Act, would reinstate the
mandatory long-form census.

Bill C-626 is up for its second reading on Thursday, January 29. Join
us in telling the federal government that this is an issue that
matters – to all Canadians.
At a time when information has become one of the world's most
important commodities, Canada is willfully marching toward ignorance.
There is broad support for reinstatement, from the undersigned groups,
to social science researchers across the country, the Canadian Chamber
of Commerce, and the Canadian Medical Association. Reinstating the
Long-Form Census will be an important step in the right direction.
Full statement below.
What can you do to help?
THE TIMING OF THIS CAMPAIGN IS IMPORTANT

TODAY :: Distribute this message through your networks. We hope to
share this with as many people as possible. In order to get this issue
trending on social media, we need people ready to start tweeting
tomorrow morning.

· On January 28 :: share your views on social media.
Tweet to @pmharper<http://twitter.com/pmharper>,
@edHolder_MP<https://twitter.com/edholder_mp> and
@JamesMoore_org<http://twitter.com/JamesMoore_org> using
#ItMakesCensus and tell them why you want the long-form census restored.

Sample Tweet
Canadians want their facts back. It's time to reinstate the long form
census #ItMakesCensus #cdnpoli @pmharper @JamesMoore_org @edHolder_MP
http://wp.me/P5txIf-3F


To On January 28 :: Let your MP and federal party leaders know that
you support Bill C-626.
Send a letter using Evidence 4 Democracy's simple tool:
https://evidencefordemocracy.ca/census

· Talk about this with your friends and family.
We need an engaged discussion on this issue, and you can help start it!

Signed,
Canadian Association of University Teachers
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE)
Centre for Science in the Public Interest
Council of Canadians
Democracy Watch
Evidence for Democracy
Politics of Evidence Working Group at York University
Science for Peace
Scientists for the Right to Know
University of Toronto Faculty Association
York University Faculty Association

***

Long form Census Joint Statement:

Canadians have a right to information It's time to reinstate the
long-form census
In 2010, the federal government ended the long-form census that had
informed critical business, policy and research decisions across the
country. As information becomes an increasingly valuable commodity in
today's world, Canada made a conscious decision to blindly walk away
from vital data about our culture and society.
It's time to bring the long-form census back.
Bill C-626, An Act to Amend the Statistics Act, would reinstate the
mandatory long-form census. We, the undersigned organizations, call on
the federal government to support the passage of Bill C-626.
The mandatory long-form census provided critical information about
demographics, commuting patterns, skills shortages and other economic
data that helped to determine public policy, guide researchers, and
give businesses a leg up. It allowed for historical comparisons that
let us know how our society is changing. The loss of this data
represents a blow to free expression that hampers the ability of
Canadians to participate in our democracy in an informed way.
Why do we need a mandatory long-form census?
 Response rates to the current voluntary survey have plummeted — 25%
of cities and towns in Canada didn't publish any data, because so
little was collected.
 The voluntary survey costs $85 million more than the long-form
version, as the low response rates require so many more to be
distributed.
 The loss of statistical information means businesses lose important
marketing data, hurting our economy.
 We lack crucial information on skills shortages, temporary foreign
workers and other economic data that help Canadian businesses.
 Prominent researchers all over the country call the current
voluntary survey "useless."
 Rural residents, the poor, youth, Aboriginals, disabled persons and
other vulnerable groups are being undercounted in the voluntary
census, as are the rich, which makes it difficult for other surveys to
correct their data with census information.
 From public transit to traffic patterns, social welfare programs to
labour shortages, government and researchers have a fundamental loss
of data. This makes service delivery difficult and less effective
 The census information is needed to properly design social programs
– without adequate information, needed services may be cut.
What can you do to help?
 Share your views on social media. Tweet to @pmharper, @edHolder_MP
and @JamesMoore_org using #ItMakesCensus and tell them why you want
the long-form census restored.
 Let your MP and federal party leaders know that you support Bill
C-626. Send a letter using Evidence 4 Democracy's simple tool:
https://evidencefordemocracy.ca/census
 Talk about this with your friends and family. We need an engaged
discussion on this issue, and you can help start it!
At a time when information has become one of the world's most
important commodities, Canada is willfully marching toward ignorance.
There is broad support for reinstatement, from the undersigned to the
Canadian Chamber of Commerce to the Canadian Medical Association.
Reinstating the Long-Form Census will be an important step back in the
right direction.
After all, as Prime Minister Stephen Harper said himself, "vital
statistics are critical. You can't manage what you can't measure."
Bill C-626 is up for its second reading on Thursday, January 29. Join
us in telling the federal government that this is an issue that
matters – to all Canadians.
Without the census, Canada is simply flying blind.
Signed,
Canadian Association of University Teachers
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE)
Centre for Science in the Public Interest
Council of Canadians
Democracy Watch
Evidence for Democracy
Politics of Evidence Working Group at York University
Science for Peace
Scientists for the Right to Know
University of Toronto Faculty Association
York University Faculty Association