One of (many!) unpleasant implications of making the census long form voluntary is its effects on how data are tracked through time. Between censuses, Statistics Canada does the best it can to keep track of changes using survey data, but there's always the risk of sampling error accumulating as time goes on. The census – which in the past was not subject to sampling error – serves as an anchor for these higher-frequency series in order to produce data that can be compared across longer periods of time.
But 2011 will be different. Unless the federal government reverses its decision, researchers will be obliged to put an asterisk next to numbers from the 2011 census, with a footnote explaining that because these data were not calculated using the same methodology, they are not strictly comparable to previous numbers.
And since we're talking about using the census to look at long-run trends, here's a summary of the history of questions that have been asked since the first census in 1871 (copied from here). It's an awful lot of history to flush away.
| Demographic characteristics | First time in census [before 1971] |
1971 | 1976 | 1981 | 1986 | 1991 | 1996 | 2001 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | 1871 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Relationship to person 1 | 1891 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Date of birth | 1871 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Sex | 1871 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Marital status | 1871 | X | X | X | X | – | – | – | – |
| Legal marital status | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X |
| Common law status | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X |
| Mobility – place of residence 1 year ago | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X |
| Mobility – place of residence 5 years ago | 1961 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Number of moves since previous census | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Date of first marriage | 1941 | X | – | X | – | – | – | – | – |
| Number of children ever born | 1941 | X | – | X | – | X | – | – | – |
| Ethno-cultural and language characteristics | First time in census [before 1971] |
1971 | 1976 | 1981 | 1986 | 1991 | 1996 | 2001 | 2006 |
| Knowledge of official languages | 1901 | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Knowledge of non-official languages | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X |
| Home language | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Mother tongue | 1901 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Language used at work | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X |
| Place of birth | 1871 | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Place of birth of parents | 1891 | X | – | – | – | – | – | X | X |
| Citizenship | 1901 | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Landed immigrant status | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X |
| Period/year of immigration | 1901 | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Ethnic origin | 1871 | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Registered Indian status | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X |
| Indian Band/First Nation | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X |
| North American Indian, Métis, Inuit (self-reporting) | – | – | – | – | X | – | X | X | X |
| Population group (visible minority) | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X |
| Religion | 1871 | X | – | X | – | X | – | X | – |
| Activity limitations/difficulties/reductions | First time in census [before 1971] |
1971 | 1976 | 1981 | 1986 | 1991 | 1996 | 2001 | 2006 |
| At home | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X |
| At school or at work | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X |
| In other activities | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X |
| Long-term disabilities or handicaps | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | – | – |
| Difficulties with daily activities | 2001 | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X |
| Schooling | First time in census [before 1971] |
1971 | 1976 | 1981 | 1986 | 1991 | 1996 | 2001 | 2006 |
| Highest level of elementary or secondary schooling | 1941 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Years of schooling (university) | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | – |
| Years of schooling (other) | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | – |
| School attendance | 1871 | X | X | X | – | X | X | X | X |
| University degrees | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Field of specialization | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X |
| Completion of full-time vocational course (3 months or more) | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Province/country of highest degree | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X |
| Province of elementary or secondary (or outside Canada) | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Unpaid work/Household activities | First time in census [before 1971] |
1971 | 1976 | 1981 | 1986 | 1991 | 1996 | 2001 | 2006 |
| Hours doing unpaid housework last week | 1996 | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X |
| Hours caring for children without pay last week | 1996 | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X |
| Hours providing unpaid care/assistance to seniors last week | 1996 | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X |
| Labour market activities | First time in census [before 1971] |
1971 | 1976 | 1981 | 1986 | 1991 | 1996 | 2001 | 2006 |
| Actual hours worked last week | 1951 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Usual hours worked each week | 1911 | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Last date of work | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Industry | 1901 | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Occupation | 1871 | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Class of worker | 1891 | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Weeks worked in reference year | 1911 | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Full-time/part-time work | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Temporary lay-off/absent from job | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| New job to start in four weeks or less | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Looked for work in past 4 weeks | 1961 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Availability for work | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Incorporation status | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Journey to work | First time in census [before 1971] |
1971 | 1976 | 1981 | 1986 | 1991 | 1996 | 2001 | 2006 |
| Place of work | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Mode of transportation to work | – | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X |
| Income | First time in census [before 1971] |
1971 | 1976 | 1981 | 1986 | 1991 | 1996 | 2001 | 2006 |
| Income in year previous to census year | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Wages and salaries | 1901 | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Net non-farm self-employment income | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Net farm self-employment income | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Family allowances | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | – | – |
| Federal child tax credits/benefits | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X |
| Old age security (OAS) and Guaranteed income supplement (GIS) | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Benefits from Canada or Quebec pension plan (CPP/QPP) | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Benefits from Employment insurance | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Other income from government sources | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Interest and dividends | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Other investment income | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Retirement pensions, superannuation, annuities | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Other money income | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Income tax paid | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X |
| Family and household | First time in census [before 1971] |
1971 | 1976 | 1981 | 1986 | 1991 | 1996 | 2001 | 2006 |
| Agricultural operator | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X |
| Household maintainer(s) | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Household head (Person 1) | 1941 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Family head | 1921 | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Tenure (owned/rented) | 1921 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Tenure (condominium) | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Tenure (band housing) | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | – |
| Presence of mortgage | 1941 | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Who holds first mortgage | – | X | – | – | – | – | X | X | – |
| No. of persons per household | – | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Shelter costs – renter | 1941 | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Payment of reduced rent (e.g. government subsidized housing) | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Automobiles available for personal use | 1941 | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Vacation home ownership | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Major home appliances | 1931 | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Yearly payments | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Yearly payments – electricity | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Yearly payments – oil, coal, wood, etc. | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Yearly payments – gas | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Yearly payments – water | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Yearly payments – shelter costs – owner | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Yearly payments – shelter costs – owner: mortgage | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Yearly payments – shelter costs – owner: property taxes | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Yearly payments – shelter costs – owner: condominium | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Yearly payments – shelter costs – owner: condominium fees | – | – | – | – | – | X | X | X | X |
| Dwelling | First time in census [before 1971] |
1971 | 1976 | 1981 | 1986 | 1991 | 1996 | 2001 | 2006 |
| Number of rooms | 1941 | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Number of bedrooms | – | X | – | – | – | X | X | X | X |
| Number of bathrooms | – | – | – | X | – | – | – | – | – |
| Period of construction | 1941 | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Condition of dwelling | – | – | – | X | – | X | X | X | X |
| Type of dwelling | 1941 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | – |
| Value of dwelling | 1941 | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Number of dwellings in the building | 1941 | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Garage | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Piped running water in building | 1941 | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Bath or shower | 1941 | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Use of flush toilet in building | 1941 | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Unoccupied dwelling, reason for | – | – | X | – | X | – | – | – | – |
| Seasonal/marginal dwellings | – | – | – | X | X | X | X | X | – |
| Length of occupancy | 1941 | X | – | X | – | – | – | – | – |
| Source of water supply | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Method of sewage disposal | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Principal type of heating equipment | 1941 | X | – | X | X | – | – | – | – |
| Principal fuel used for – cooking | – | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Principal fuel used for – heating | 1941 | X | – | X | X | – | – | – | – |
| Principal fuel used for – water heating | – | X | – | X | – | – | – | – | – |
| Coverage | First time in census [before 1971] |
1971 | 1976 | 1981 | 1986 | 1991 | 1996 | 2001 | 2006 |
| Did you leave anyone out? | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Household roster | – | X | – | – | – | X | X | X | X |
| Number of temporary residents | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Number of usual residents | – | X | – | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Personal information available for public release in 92 years | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | X |
| Other | First time in census [before 1971] |
1971 | 1976 | 1981 | 1986 | 1991 | 1996 | 2001 | 2006 |
| Wartime service | 1951 | X | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Worthwhile Canadian Initiative 
Good issue to pursue. Keep plugging away – you’ll eventually win.
Have you consulted a lawyer? Is there a legal challenge?
Have you contacted an opposition member? Is there a political challenge?
Any turnaround will not be voluntary. Those are the 2 institutions with power to alter the decision.
Apparently the Liberals are threatening to do something, for whatever that’s worth.
There is a petition circulating…
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/keep-the-canadian-census-long-form/sign.html