Comments on: New poll: Canadians support keeping mandatory census by 2-1 margin.

By: Rory Rickwood

Rory Rickwood — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:43:19 +0000

Hard data obtained from the anonymous census long-form clearly helps in setting public policy and planning. This hard data provides the public with vital information that helps them make the case for many government-financed initiatives. Do some initiatives go against the Harper conservatives vision of what the public should be entitled to? In the absence of hard census data, the conservatives can ignore well-supported arguments and instead implement their view of what public policy and planning should be. No wonder they have dug in their heals on this issue, and keep spouting off their silly talking points that the government will put you in jail if you fail to fill in the unanimous census long-form questionnaire.

By: Scott Tribe

Scott Tribe — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 22:42:54 +0000

You obviously haven't been keeping up, Stan. I've already written here about that; but here is yet another reminder: The Europeans generally use far more intrusive measures to collect data then the census ever has.

By: Jon Pertwee

Jon Pertwee — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:06:05 +0000

@Stan, Really Stan, you're smugness is truly betrayed by your poor footing in reality.

By: Jon Pertwee

Jon Pertwee — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:05:28 +0000

@Stan, Um, Stan… Im not sure if you were awake in school this day but Europe isn’t a country.

The interesting thing is Stan, since the formation of the EU in 1973, they have had compulsory census that involve the member countries. Their next one is coming up in 2011.

In fact here’s an article about the EU urging Bosnia and Herzegovina to adopt a mandatory census.

“”The lack of a census in 2011 would be unfortunate for Bosnia and Herzegovina in terms of its EU perspective. Moreover, it would make it more difficult to solve important socio-economic questions because of the lack of reliable statistical data,”

“Bosnia and Herzegovina risks being a country that will not join the international community in this important exercise,”

http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/25282/

So Stan, maybe you should consider doing a bit of research before you try to make something up.

By: Stan

Stan — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:00:25 +0000

Europe ditched the long form type of census years ago, odd the CBC never mentions that.
Shouldn’t it be mandatory they tell us the truth?

By: Stan

Stan — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:58:39 +0000

I guess you missed the irony of using a voluntary poll to show support for a mandatory census.

But then as 73% of people know, 87% of liberals don’t use logic to arrive at conclusions.

All hail the Jedi knights!

By: Jay-TO

Jay-TO — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 20:40:49 +0000

Whats wrong with saying you are a Jedi master? Scientology and Christianity are as fictitious. You guys don’t have a monopoly on bullshit. What ever happen to freedom of thought and freedom of religion? Religions are all made up so who really cares?

By: Scott Tribe

Scott Tribe — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 16:35:06 +0000

It’s not that. If that’s what the study says about AR, bully on them. I’m talking of the overall methodology in general used for online polling/panel samples. It’s been shown by Nate Silver to be rather inaccurate when used in the US.. and the telephone polling companies were on the whole more accurate with their polling on the UK election then the online ones were.

If AR has found the magic way to make online panels accurate, then credit to them. I’m just not convinced from seeing these other examples that it will always give as accurate a result (yet) as traditional phone polling (random sampling and such). Perhaps that will change.

By: jon pertwee

jon pertwee — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 16:14:08 +0000

@canadiansense, "This is another issue that will be distorted with the left claiming it is an ideological attack from a right wing party that is intent on destroying the country." Nothing like a bit of teabag paranoia to start the morning.

By: Canadiansense

Canadiansense — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 15:43:08 +0000

@Scott Tribe, You can simply check with each pollster and their predictions (it is public knowledge) I am not sure how you can dispute AR was the most accurate in their prediction for October 2008. I don't need to link the numerous websites and their final numbers but it exists and has not had the same problem as the CRU with their data.