Northern MP Fine With Fate Of Long-Form Census

Northern MP Fine With Fate Of Long-Form Census

Thursday, August 05, 2010 at 13:32

A Conservative MP in northern Saskatchewan is defending the decision to scrap the compulsory long-form census.

Rob Clarke of the Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River constituency says the form will still be available on a voluntary basis.

Statisticians and researchers say the decision could compromise the government’s ability to gather information on low-income groups, noting they often don’t like to fill out the census form.

Clarke says even when it was mandatory, many people still refused — including First Nations.

He also says some people declared themselves to be Aboriginal on the forms, even if they weren’t.