21 July, 2010

New government resources @ OPL

Air India Flight 182: A Canadian tragedy
On June 23, 1985, a bomb killed 329 passengers and crew of Air India Flight 182. The first volume in the final report of the commission of inquiry into the bombing is an overview "provided for those who want a quick and convenient 'bottom line' discussion of the issues."

Auto$mart, new point of view
This student workbook that links safe and fuel efficient driving, using a series of exercises.

Early Development Instrument (EDI) Halton community profile
This report focuses on the learning of young children in Halton Region, based on the EDI, a tool used to assess children's development.

Canadian cancer statistics
This annual report presents statistics for incidence, mortality, and geographic distribution of various forms of cancer. It also includes a special chapter on end-of-life care.

Workplace violence and harassment: Understanding the law
This guide explains what every worker in Ontario needs to know about the workplace violence and harassment requirements that came into effect on June 15, 2010 as part of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Seniors' housing report
Produced by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, this annual report focuses on vacancy rates and supplies of seniors' housing.

Aquaculture in Canada
This report by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans reviews the significant business of aquaculture, or fish farming, in Canada.

15 July, 2010

Long-form Canadian census in 2011 to become voluntary

Changes to the national census in 2011 have some statisticians worried about the validity and integrity of the data that will be collected. In the past, a long-form census was distributed to one in five households and completion was mandatory. In 2011, the government will retain the mandatory short form that collects basic demographic information, but the long-form will be replaced by a voluntary National Household Survey.

Tony Clement, the Minister of Industry, stated on July 13, 2010 that the government has received complaints about the long-form census from citizens who felt it invaded their privacy. "The government does not believe it is appropriate to force Canadians to divulge detailed personal information under threat of prosecution," said the Minister. "To promote data accuracy, this voluntary survey will be sent to a larger cross-section of households than the old long-form census."

Former top officials from Statistics Canada are speaking out against this move, stating that a voluntary survey is likely to result in seriously biased data. Ivan Fellegi, Stats Canada's Chief Statistician until he retired in 2008, says that a voluntary survey could seriously bias the census data and that increasing the sample size will not compensate for the bias. Fellegi is worried that aboriginal groups, new immigrants, those with low income or education, or the very wealthy will be less likely to complete a voluntary survey, resulting in biased data.

Some of the groups expressing concern about the change include the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Statistical Society of Canada, and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Municipalities in particular are concerned as they rely heavily on census data to make decisions about community needs such as bus routes, locations for affordable housing and programming for new Canadians.