Evidence of meeting #4 for Official Languages in the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was question.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Mr. Arora, what is the purpose of the short-form census?
Chief Statistician of Canada, Statistics Canada
The census consists of a short form and a long form, which are used to enumerate the population in each of the small areas of Canada.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Why don't we just use a long-form census? What purpose does the short form serve?
Chief Statistician of Canada, Statistics Canada
It is used to better enumerate the population.
Liberal
Chief Statistician of Canada, Statistics Canada
By better enumerate, we mean getting the exact population in each region. The federal government transfers billions of dollars to the provinces and communities based on these numbers.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Thank you. So it is to get more accurate numbers.
Although you haven't yet told us what your recommendation to cabinet will be, we have all guessed it.
Schools and school boards across the country, both French and English, came to us and told us unanimously that these questions needed to be included in the short form. You have just told us that the short form makes it possible to better enumerate the population. You are sensitive to these stakeholders' requests and will be pleased to know that they think exactly the same way you do. They are unanimously requesting that these questions be included in the short form.
My question is really simple, and I'm asking you for a simple answer because I think you have the intellectual capacity to answer with a yes or a no: am I right to believe that, when our minister has to decide between the short form or the long form to enumerate rights-holders in accordance with section 23 of the Charter, it would not be unreasonable for the government to opt for the short form?
Chief Statistician of Canada, Statistics Canada
I have already answered several times.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Tell me yes or no, Mr. Arora.
Am I correct that it would not be unreasonable for the government, in this case, to choose the short form?
Chief Statistician of Canada, Statistics Canada
It is the government's decision, that is, it's the cabinet's by law.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
In the case I just gave you, would it be unreasonable—I emphasize that word—for the government to choose the short form, yes or no?
Chief Statistician of Canada, Statistics Canada
It is not up to us to determine who...
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
I am not talking about you, Mr. Arora. I'm talking about the government.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
No, you never answer the questions.
My question is simple, with what I have just explained to you and the purpose of the short form you gave, am I right in saying that it would not be unreasonable for the government to believe that the short form is the best solution?
Chief Statistician of Canada, Statistics Canada
We are statisticians. For us, only science, statistics and methodology matter. We will provide our best advice. Then, it will be up to the government, to you, to the cabinet to decide, in accordance with the law.
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Mr. Arora, with your science, with all your experience and after hearing everything that the various stakeholders told us last Tuesday—since you did send someone to attend the meeting—why are you not able to answer this simple question that is so important to the stakeholders?
My question is very simple. Let me repeat it: am I right in saying that it would not be unreasonable for the government to choose the short form to enumerate the rights-holders, in this case? I'm talking about the government and I am appealing to your science and your experience.
Chief Statistician of Canada, Statistics Canada
I understand completely how important this matter is. We are truly committed to providing you with high-quality data...
Liberal
René Arseneault Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Mr. Chair, the witness is not answering the questions.
It's annoying, Mr. Arora.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
Mr. Arseneault, please let Mr. Arora finish responding. He still has about 30 seconds left.
Chief Statistician of Canada, Statistics Canada
We are very much prepared under the act to collect data in order to work with stakeholders to establish and maintain a system. That's really what this country needs in terms of a very significant population. We are really prepared to do our best. Our goal really is to provide the data.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Emmanuel Dubourg
Thank you, Mr. Arora.
Mr. Arseneault, please, I have to give the floor to Mr. Beaulieu for two and a half minutes.
Bloc
Mario Beaulieu Bloc La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC
I am less unhappy when I ask questions about something other than the rights-holders. It would have been nice of you to let us know that you had not finished analyzing the tests, so that we could meet with you when you could tell us about them.
I have another question. The answer to the question I asked earlier about the distribution of multiple responses was not clear. You said that, in the past, when a person answered “English” and “French”, half of them were counted as francophones while the other half were counted as anglophones. Now, both are counted, and that produces numbers. You said when someone answers in French, they are counted as French. So, you did that to increase the percentage of each language group. Do I understand you correctly?
Chief Statistician of Canada, Statistics Canada
I said that there are a number of questions for which multiple responses are reasonable. That's something you would expect. With respect to rights-holders, when someone says their language is French based on the three criteria...