Industry committee  It's just a similar analysis that we have carried out. While I celebrate the improvements, I think it would be a great loss if a once-in-a-generation opportunity like the present one were not exploited to bring in a truly model Statistics Act. I would like to recommend for your

Industry committee  And confidentiality.

Industry committee  I can't speak for Mr. Sheikh. I know him, but it would be unfair for me to be his spokesperson. I have answered every question very frankly in my own name, but I really don't want to answer on his behalf. It would be unfair of me.

Industry committee  I think at this point it's Mr. Smith who should answer, but I believe it would be close to impossible to have a short-term impact on this census, on 2011, in the time that's available.

Industry committee  Well, I would have certainly advised the minister strongly against it, and depending on what happened.... I mean, it's a speculative question. I prefer not to answer it, but at the time this happened, in the media I did say I would have resigned.

Industry committee  I would say the most important thing at this point is for everybody to be supportive of the national household survey. The census is compulsory. The short version that we have will proceed. I am certainly ready to do whatever I can; if members of Parliament can do whatever they c

Industry committee  No.

Industry committee  I would say that in my experience—and again, I don't have any rigorous studies of it, but I went out a lot of times observing enumerations--I wouldn't say that the categories of people that you identified are the only categories.

Industry committee  I think there is a large category in between those who, if told it's compulsory, it's important—

Industry committee  —and they have to do it, will do so. It's not a sense of duty, but if I'm told it's compulsory, therefore I'll do it, and I might as well do it well, rather than badly; I won't try to skew the results.

Industry committee  But there will be some who will.

Industry committee  Yes, I do.

Industry committee  I can only add that there has been an enormous range of concerns expressed, from banks to institutes of public policy, think tanks, health organizations, religious organizations, and I don't know how many of the major cities of the country. Something like 50 officially have taken

Industry committee  Well, I have maintained and recommended that the fundamental principles of official statistics that were adopted by the United Nations should be basically incorporated in the Statistics Act. That would make decisions of methodology independent of political interference.

Industry committee  Because the fact that we increase the sample size is not going to make those who don't want to respond want to respond, and they are not representative of the rest of the population. The fact that we are increasing the sample size just gets probably more middle-income, white, thi