Census season is upon us. I just received my invitation in the mail to go online and complete the questionnaire. Bold letters informed me to complete the census — "it’s the law." The census remains the backbone of Canada’s official statistics. However, change is sweeping across the world of official statistics. Collecting census data will soon experience fundamental … [Read more...] about Census survey a quaint way to collect data
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The Long-Form Census: Fast Forward to the Past
Statistics Canada will resume the long-form sub-census in 2016. Most welcome this reversal as a restoration of critical data for policy development and as a harbinger of a new era of evidence- based decision-making. However, change is sweeping across the world of official statistics. The census methodology of monitoring the Canadian population is set for a fundamental … [Read more...] about The Long-Form Census: Fast Forward to the Past
Canada’s Climate Change Cacophany
Politicians are wrapping themselves in green for 2016. The Paris Conference concluded with self-congratulation and widespread resolve to reverse the failures of the Kyoto and Copenhagen agreements to achieve meaningful results. Debate on climate change appears to have concluded and wide acceptance exists on the need to stabilize and then reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) the key … [Read more...] about Canada’s Climate Change Cacophany
Guaranteed annual income difficult to implement
The guaranteed annual income (GAI) has been touted as an antidote to poverty and inequality. Initiated in the mid-1950s as the negative income tax proposed by Milton Friedman and subject to major experimental studies in the ’60s and ’70s, why does this idea periodically rise, only to fade from public discussion? Read Full Article … [Read more...] about Guaranteed annual income difficult to implement