I was recently in New York City and had the opportunity to speak to some colleagues. I found that what happened in Canada was extremely misunderstood. I had the opportunity to explain exactly what had happened. Of course, none of my colleagues endorsed the idea of doing a census on a voluntary basis. However, they got a better understanding of what had happened. They understood that everything happened in compliance with Canadian legislation and that the inherent roles of government and of Statistics Canada had been respected. Now, they are anxious to know the results of our 2011 experience. So, I cannot say that this will really have a negative effect on the reputation of Statistics Canada, after having explained clearly what really happened.
On March 8th, 2011. See this statement in context.