Evidence of meeting #32 for Industry, Science and Technology in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was data.
A recording is available from Parliament.
10 a.m.
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
Okay. I've done it once before as well, but I didn't need an accountant. Obviously you're doing much better than I am.
10 a.m.
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
No, I don't think so. But it is important to note, though, that there is that element.
Mr. Henderson, we have a choice to make in this country. We can continue to do the things we're doing now and have this information—and yes, you personally had to go through other means to finish what you're supposed to do as a citizen, and I appreciate that—or alternatively, if we go to what's being proposed, more people will actually get a voluntary census, so more people are actually going to be contacted. There will be TV ads, phone calls, and information put in your letter box and it'll cost you more money.
Is that something you would prefer, that it would actually cost more money and you'd be contacted more, and to have more people contact you?
10 a.m.
As an Individual
I've been down that road as well with phone calls, and they're not pleasant either.
10 a.m.
As an Individual
I think that is easier than the ordeal we went through with this long-form census.
10 a.m.
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
But this is what we're going to get, though. If you have your choice to make, you would prefer to have more contact and pay more money as a taxpayer.
10 a.m.
As an Individual
Yes, I believe so, rather than what we went through with that long-form census.
10 a.m.
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
That's fair. It's important to recognize, though, that this is what's going to happen with Canadians. You're also going to get that no matter what.
10 a.m.
As an Individual
I'm not sure if this long-form census was the same as everybody else filled out, but with the agriculture form, it's quite extensive.
10 a.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Michael Chong
Mr. Masse, I think Mr. Henderson was referring to filling out the agricultural census.
10 a.m.
NDP
10 a.m.
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
The agricultural census, though, is the one for which you required the accountant.
10 a.m.
NDP
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
That's important to clarify.
I'll open this question, then, to the rest of the panel, in terms of the actual process that's going to be involved: Do you think it will be more burdensome or less burdensome for Canadians?
This is one of the things that has been promoted, that things are going to get easier if we actually go to a voluntary census, but the reality is that it's going to cost more money and there's going to be more contact.
We've had the veracity of the data basically contested by many experts, but I think ordinary Canadians who are out there just want to know, are they going to get more contact and more disturbance, or are they going to get less? I think they're actually going to get more, and that's a real issue.
10 a.m.
Conservative
10 a.m.
President, Institute for Research on Public Policy
It is very clear that there will be more people contacted. So instead of, as Mr. McKinnon noted, once every quarter century, it'll be more frequently that I will be contacted by government, but it will be less burdensome. Let's accept that it will be less burdensome.
I can choose not to fill out the form and there are no penalties. That's the problem of reliability, as Mr. Turk, Mr. McKinnon, and I raised. You will not have a reliable output, but it will be less burdensome.