Comments on: Long Form Census Debacle: Nothing More Than an Attempt at a Perfect Storm For an Election Call For Steve http://sistersagesmusings.ca/2010/07/19/long-form-census-debacle-nothing-more-than-an-attempt-at-a-perfect-storm-for-an-election-call-for-steve/ Center-left blog from Canadians across the country and beyond Thu, 27 Jun 2013 09:45:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.2 By: Rory Rickwood http://sistersagesmusings.ca/2010/07/19/long-form-census-debacle-nothing-more-than-an-attempt-at-a-perfect-storm-for-an-election-call-for-steve/comment-page-1/#comment-3328 Rory Rickwood Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:32:23 +0000 http://sistersagesmusings.ca/?p=2843#comment-3328 Hard data obtained from the anonymous census long-form clearly helps in setting public policy and planning. This hard data provides the public with vital information that helps them make the case for many government-financed initiatives. Do some initiatives go against the Harper conservatives vision of what the public should be entitled to? In the absence of hard census data, the conservatives can ignore well-supported arguments and instead implement their view of what public policy and planning should be. No wonder they have dug in their heals on this issue, and keep spouting off their silly talking points that the government will put you in jail if you fail to fill in the unanimous census long-form questionnaire.

]]> By: dylan http://sistersagesmusings.ca/2010/07/19/long-form-census-debacle-nothing-more-than-an-attempt-at-a-perfect-storm-for-an-election-call-for-steve/comment-page-1/#comment-3222 dylan Mon, 19 Jul 2010 23:14:56 +0000 http://sistersagesmusings.ca/?p=2843#comment-3222 Excellent analysis!

I think that this issue is a perfect “parliament is dysfunctional” trigger for Steve to call an election a few weeks before parliament resumes in September. Whether or not the length of the census becomes an election issue is not the framing the Liberals should take. The issue that ought to be debated is the character of Stephen Harper. Is it not a reflection of Harper’s character that he chooses to fill a budget with all sorts of non-budgetary items prior to a summer recess, and then threaten an election if the SENATE doesn’t do what he wants? Isn’t it a reflection of his character when he tries to axe the census on a quiet Friday during the summer break?

Harper’s sticky fingerprints are all over this. Iggy ought to give his marching orders to the committee or whoever is going to review this stupid thing and go back on his tour to energize his base and candidates in preparation for an election surrounding the character of Master Harper.

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