Beyond The Commons

 Beyond The Commons

Aaron Wherry covers all the goings-on in and around Parliament Hill. Follow Aaron on Twitter: @aaronwherry

Categories: Beyond The Commons, Capital Read

The Aboriginal perspective

by Aaron Wherry on Friday, July 23, 2010 11:28am - 0 Comments

The relationship between the census and Canada’s Aboriginal population, especially those living on reserves, is another matter entirely (see here). But here are a few comments, at my request, from the Assembly of First Nations.

The Assembly of First Nations is aware of and agrees with the concerns expressed by many individuals and organizations regarding the potential negative impacts on policy and funding decisions, as well as the ability to track and compare data, as a result of the decision to change the long form census.

Specific to First Nations, however, there are long-standing concerns with the census methodology and its ability to accurately capture and reflect First Nations demographics and the conclusions drawn from the data. Statistics Canada itself admits that it generally under-counts First Nations and has difficulty with accuracy and tracking for our population.

AFN has a long-standing mandate to support First Nations-led data gathering, ownership and governance (a successful example is the First Nations Regional Longitudinal Health Survey).

The decision to change the long form census only highlights the need for First Nations-led approaches to data gathering.

The Longitudinal Health Survey can be reviewed here.

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  • Gaunilon

    The argument that we shouldn't be enforcing the census, as a matter of personal liberty, resonates a little bit with me (not much, but a little bit if someone can make the argument that the census is significantly less important than taxation).

    But arguments like this about how ineffectual the census is with respect to particular groups don't resonate very much. It seems to me that the answer in that case is to fix the problem, not change the entire structure of the census.

    • hosertohoosier

      I view the mandatory census (and lets be clear, the status quo IS weak enforcement – very few people actually get in trouble for refusing) as part of a tradeoff. Yes, we give up some liberty in that we have to answer questions. However, this allows governments to deliver services far more cheaply, reducing its need to tax us (or giving us better services for the same amount of money).

      • http://intensedebate.com/people/Gaunilon Gaunilon

        Sounds pretty reasonable to me.

  • Anon

    Aboriginals are arguably the group that is most vulnerable to the elimination of the long form census. Did you know that Statistics Canada has a census analysis series exclusively devoted to Aboriginals? I wonder what that's going to look like after the census has been gutted.

  • LiveBloggin Junkie

    How accurate has the census been if Stats Can wouldn't enforce the mandatory long form part on reserves?

    From the Star Article,
    "Thousands of natives across Canada refused to complete the 2006 census – including the Six Nations in Ontario – and will not face any legal consequences, despite the fact that 64 people not living on reserves were charged under the Statistics Act. "

  • Anon

    Statistics Canada only cares about getting the data. If they get enough data from a certain population, they let it go.

    • LiveBloggin Junkie

      But if they do not enfore the mandatory part of a mandatory census then its is de facto voluntary. And as everybody keeps saying, if the data is provided by a mandatory census the country will fall into the sea, and lions will lie down with lambs.

      • Jenn_

        I don't know the answer to this, I'm just asking a legitimate question. But does the penalties for nonconformance with the Statistics Canada Act (or whatever the act is called that deals with this) get trumped by the Indian Act?

        (why is it still called that, btw?)

        • LiveBloggin Junkie

          I don't want to pretend to be an expert on the Indian Act but I doubt the Indian Act would prevent census enumeration and reading the article, most First Nation orgs support on reserve citizens taking the census.

          As to why it is still called the Indian Act, I would ask former Liberal MP Robert Nault on how easy it is to change that particular law.

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