Census Time

It's time once again for the semi-decadal census; Torontonians have today and tomorrow to complete the census form - it takes about five minutes for the short form, and not much more than a half-hour if you're lucky enough to get the long one.

While it is a legal imperative to fill out - honestly and accurately - the census, it is also vital that Torontonians make sure they are represented. In this day and age of fiscal federalism, it is important to make sure that the rest of Canada has an accurate picture of the size - and demographics - of its largest city. More people means more eventual funding, and more diversity will show a need for greater support. It's about time that the rest of the country stops ignoring Hogtown.

As an aside, remember that anything you say on the census is kept absolutely and completely confidential - in the 1996 census, after one Canadian answered that they grew pot, StatsCan resolutely refused to give the RCMP any identifying information about the respondant. Imagine the social implications if the government knew just how many people had a plant or two (or more) growing in their basements.

The census is also important for electoral purposes - if we want Toronto to be properly represented in Parliament, now is the time to be counted. So fill out your forms, and post (or interweb) them off today.