Beyond The Commons

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

'This unintended educational experience'

by Aaron Wherry on Tuesday, August 17, 2010 10:49am - 0 Comments

Max Fawcett considers the state of the census debate.

Look, it’s not as though I don’t think the media falls down on the job from time to time, and that they tend to do so more often than not when they get within 100 metres of an elected official. But in that spirit, it’s also important to give them their due when they do a good job, and I’ve yet to see a compelling argument that they’ve done anything but in covering the census.

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  • Bob

    Yaaaaay! Its like when the US invades a new country, we get to learn all about their geography, culture and language!

  • LiveBloggin Junkie

    The media is doing such a great job on this census 'debate' that it only took 49 days for a reporter to put the issue in some historical context. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/cens…

    • tedbetts

      It's a great article. The very first census in Canada in 1871 had over 200 questions. All mandatory. Until today.

  • John D

    Except that it's Not-An-Issue™

  • Stewart_Smith

    The reason the census controversy fascinates has little to do with the dry & dusty merits of various statistical approaches & minor perceived losses of personal privacy. It is amazing to watch because somehow this has become a highly charged, emotional issue. While few in the public really understands all of the applications of the census data and how they will be impacted, they certainly understand that the government followed a highly flawed process in arriving at its decision. They know that every single scrap of expert opinion given to the government spoke against this decision. Those that have followed the evolution of the story, know that Tony Clement is a liar, willing to denigrate the people who report to him. They also know that Clement's first response to the kerfuffle was to tell the Canadian public to screw off… he was the Minister responsible and he didn't need anyones advice or permission. Ultimately, this has now come back to Stephen Harper. Evidence is irrelevant, the decision will not be revisited.

    Stephen Harper's government's most fundamental platform plank has been integrity. However, Harper has redefined integrity to be synonymous with not stealing money in part to contrast with their accusations against the previous Liberal government. This definition has proven exceptionally convenient as the Harper government has a longstanding approach to distorting the truth to suit their means where possible and otherwise just simply lying. They got away with it on the Atlantic Accord, on Income Trusts, wrt Chuck Cadman, fixed election dates, crime statistics and so on. In most of those cases, the Conservative PR machine was on its game and muddied the waters enough that voters leaning towards the Conservatives would remain happy. The PR machine is not what it once was it seems.

    A special thanks to our newest lefty wilson who pointed out that among Conservative voters a whopping 53% think

    "The long form census yields data that is important to make policy decisions in all areas of public service, and should remain mandatory"
    http://www.visioncritical.com/wp-content/uploads/….

    • tedbetts

      Very very well put, Stewart.

      • Stewart_Smith

        Now that we have wilson on our side…

    • Holly Stick

      "…Harper has redefined integrity to be synonymous with not stealing money …" Well, except for misappropriating taxpayers' money to pay for Conservative in-and-out schemes, and for ten-per-centers to advertise the Conservative Party, and to advertise the Conservative party on cheques which should be marked from the Government of Canada only, and for wasting billions of dollars on the G8/G20 (unless some of that money has been funnelled elsewhere, who knows?, and wasting money on fighter jets we do not need, and wasting money and lives on a losing war in Afghanistan, and…

      I consdier the Harper Conservatives to be thieves.

      • Stewart_Smith

        I think it is fair to say that Harper's Conservatives have not been caught (yet) stealing money and putting in their own personal pockets. Yes, they have misappropriated funds intended for governance to use for partisan political uses but that is a different issue and frankly one that every government is guilty of to some degree.

        As a side-bar, I think that protecting that narrow first statement is the real reason Harper is being so tough on Helena.

      • burlivespipe

        You forgot very possibly using the PMO as call centre for CON fundraising hall…

    • burlivespipe

      Isn't it interesting, how the CONs at one point grumble 'this is insignificant decision, we don't need anyone's feedback, don't bother us…' and then go screaming to 'it's the will of the peeps! Get out of our jello tree! Danger-danger will robinson!'… Somehow, talking points reveal the complete disgust and distrust this government has for the Canadian people.

  • tobyornotoby

    Bravo Max Fawcett. My trust hasn't been eroded by the reporting, it's been eroded by the boneheaded decision to make an issue where none existed.

    It's Harper that has distracted us from focussing on the economy (or the war, or any of a dozen other serious issues) by finding a way to bollocks up something that was running smoothly.

  • knick

    As a long-time critic of news media coverage that is closer to entertainment news than to well researched and verified reporting, it seems to me that the press corps has done an admirable job of informing us about how the mandatory long-form census affects us all in ways we never knew. I only hope it's not too little too late.

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