July 6, 2010

We know it’s summer, but this is important. – 2011 CENSUS

The government announced that, in the 2011 Census, it will not distribute the long census form to 20% of Canadians, as in the past.  It is replaced with a voluntary survey of some Canadians.  (The short census form, with its basic 8 questions on all people in all households, remains unchanged.) 

This is a devastating decision!  The long form allowed Statistics Canada to tell us about ourselves. What proportion are bilingual? How many are handicapped? How many have completed high school? How many hours are spent taking unpaid care of children or seniors, doing unpaid housework? How well and quickly are immigrants assimilated?  All of this by province / region! 

This decision will make it easier for special interests to manipulate us. A voluntary survey will be biased, unreliable and not representative of the population mix. The least likely to respond are the most vulnerable groups - the disadvantaged, aboriginal people, immigrants.  Furthermore the questions about hours worked without pay at child care, elder care or household tasks may be dropped, even from the voluntary form. The questions, which were only added in 1996 after a hard-fought battle by stay-at home mothers/feminists, was our only source for information on labour at home and was used to show that the economy depends on free labour in the home and to advocate for a better career-family balance.

Industry Minister Tony Clement said some people had complained about the mandatory nature of census.  Every country’s census is mandatory because that is the only way to get valid data. 

Send a letter to media; contact info at: www1.gnb.ca/cnb/medialist/index-e.asp

Contact Minister Tony Clement: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Contact N.B.’s representative in the federal Cabinet Keith Ashfield, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; 506-452-4110 ; FAX: 613-996-9955 

Contact N.B.’s MPs:

Mike Allen, Conservative, Tobique- Mactaquac, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Keith Ashfield, Conservative, Fredericton, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; 506-452-4110 ; FAX: 613-996-9955

Rob  Moore, Conservative, Fundy Royal, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; 1-866-433-4677

Tilly O'Neill-Gordon, Conservative, Miramichi,  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; 506-778-8448 ; Fax: 506-778-8150

Greg Thompson, Conservative,  NB Southwest, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; 506-466-3928 ; Fax: 506-466-2813

Rodney Weston, Conservative, Saint John, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; 506-657-2500 ; Fax: 506-657-2504

Brian Murphy, Liberal, Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; 506-851-3310 ; Fax: 506-851-3273

Dominic  LeBlanc, Liberal, Beauséjour, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; 506-533-5700 ; 1-800-432-0311 ; Fax: 506-533-5888

Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie--Bathurst This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; 506-548-7511 ; Fax: 506-548-7418

Jean-Claude  D'Amours, Liberal,  Madawaska--Restigouche, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Inform your friends.