The Writers' Union of Canada shares the concern expressed by so many about the federal government's misguided plan to make the long-form version of the census voluntary. As has been made abundantly clear, most notably by Chief Statistician Munir Sheikh, who has resigned his post over the proposed change, the move will significantly weaken the reliability of the census data for use by organizations, businesses and individuals across the country, while costing more money in the short run and apparently placating only the handful of people who have objected to filling out the long form.

Writers have long used Statistics Canada census data to give an accurate reflection of the changing country to Canadians, and The Writers' Union of Canada in particular regularly uses the data when preparing briefs on cultural issues to present to governments and others. Undercutting the reliability of the statistics will not only make it more difficult to present options based on fact and evidence, it will literally make it more difficult to see and know ourselves as a changing people and nation.

"The federal government has talked a lot about transparency in recent years," TWUC Chair Alan Cumyn said, "but clear information is at the heart of transparency. This decision to gut the census is a huge step toward muddying the waters."

The Writers' Union of Canada urges Industry Minister Tony Clement and Prime Minister Stephen Harper to heed the advice of so many and protect the current incarnation of the long-form census.

The Writers' Union of Canada is a national organization representing professional authors of books. Founded in 1973, the Union is dedicated to fostering writing in Canada, and promoting the rights, freedoms, and economic well being of all writers. For more information, please visit www.writersunion.ca.

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For additional information:
Deborah Windsor, Executive Director
The Writers’ Union of Canada
416-703-8982 Ext. 221
dwindsor@writersunion.ca