Thursday Morning Links
This and that for your Thursday reading.- Barbara Yaffe points out that the Council on Hemispheric Affairs seems to have a much better idea what Canada needs out of a…
census
Mostly competent government
It's been almost exactly a year since then Industry Minister Tony Clement announced that the census long form would no longer be mandatory. Among the lies he told us at…
On trashing the long form census—Stats Can on my tail
Shortly before the Canada Post lockout, Statistics Canada mailed me a copy of the 2011 National Household Survey, formerly known as the long form census, to dutifully fill out. I…
An Unsurprising Correlation
Check this out:Newfoundland & Labrador Premier Kathy Dunderdale, in a speech to the St. John's Board of Trade, Febraury 23, 2011 (emphasis added):"Our province has never been in a stronger…
Nepal census records third gender
In what is being hailed as a world first, the Central Bureau of Statistics of Nepal has given official recognition to its third gender or Meti citizens. This means that…
Election 2011: Thoughts on "Truthiness" and Evidence-Based Policy
Just a quick post today to link to a blogpost I was invited to contribute to canada.com's Decision Canada election website. In it, I reflect on recent Conservative changes to…
A nod is as good as a wink to a blind bat
Another day, another justification for dropping the mandatory long-form census by the Conservative government. Today’s argument comes from Finance Minister Jim Flaherty; he basically argues that because a bunch of…
‘Fixing’ what isn’t Broken: Tampering with the Census
I have been startled this last few weeks to witness the extent to which a seemingly esoteric subject, the census, has become a political and conversational issue during the dog…
‘Fixing’ what isn’t Broken: Tampering with the Census
I have been startled this last few weeks to witness the extent to which a seemingly esoteric subject, the census, has become a political and conversational issue during the dog…
‘Fixing’ what isn’t Broken: Tampering with the Census
I have been startled this last few weeks to witness the extent to which a seemingly esoteric subject, the census, has become a political and conversational issue during the dog…
Stephen Harper Introduces an Inconsistency to the Conservative Message
August 3rd, 2010: Despite Stats Can data showing that crime is on the decrease in Canada, Treasury Board President Stockwell Day announces that the Conservative Government of Canada will go…
Beware the Power of the Dark Side
Sometimes, when I see the crazy places some people want to take our country or other countries I wonder to myself, are they serious? Do they really believe that government…
Stockwell Gets Tough on Imaginary Crime
Oh Stockwell, you never let us down do you? Whenever we doubt for a moment that the Conservative government makes all its decisions based on gut instinct, emotion and irrational…
Lies, Damned Lies, And The Census
“(The Unites States), and particularly your conservative movement, is a light and an inspiration to people in this country and across the world.” – Stephen Harper, 1997 In an astonishing…
Disturbing Censusgate News
Two disturbing articles on the census today: The first collects together a few comments from people who know Harper and his people well about how they hope to use prolonged…
No, wait, I got a dumber one!
I am endlessly surprised by the creativity the Conservative government is putting into explaining why their irrational, scientifically unsound decision to scrap the mandatory long form census is really A-OK.…
Sheikh’s resignation removed from Stats Can site
Yesterday I posted Munir A. Sheikh resignation letter from Statistics Canada, warning that t was likely to be removed. 24 hours later, it's gone. In its place is this: Media…
Censusgate Continues
Two comments on the ongoing censusgate saga: The Chief Statistician has resigned his position in light of the dispute: Fantastic, good for him. He should have done it sooner but…
Stats Can head resigns over census
Clearly, Harper and Clement were imposing a political decision on the internationally renown Statistic Canada. Munir A. Sheikh stood up, and with honour, did the right thing. If only we…
Guessing About the Silent Majority
Just a quick note on the continuing CensusGate. Some questions over Minister Clement’s honesty and very fun sarcastic response to recent contortions to explain their ‘reasoning’ to drop the census.…