Census and religion split from Greetings from Down Under

[Darren Dirt]

Hey Ustauk, too bad you didn't have time (money?) to fit into your journey a visit to Kiwi Land.

Apparently it's the Jedi Capital Of the World!

[Shayne]

Isn't lying on a census form illegal?

[Mr. Analog]

Isn't lying on a census form illegal?

So is jaywalking, but if it isn't enforced people will just disregard it.

[Shayne]

This is true, but census data is actually useful, for people to return incorrect data makes the whole initiative sorta pointless.

[Mr. Analog]

This is true, but census data is actually useful, for people to return incorrect data makes the whole initiative sorta pointless.

I think it's safe to assume people who put down "Jedi" as their religion on a census form are agnostic. Also, I thought that Census Canada removes perjurious entries (i.e. items with grossly incorrect or imcomplete information), so that data wouldn't infect measurable statistics.

[Shayne]

I'd simply prefer people to, you know, stop wasting tax payer money by trying to be witty (geek sheep?).

Why not submit your taxes stating that you made $5.00 this tax season and see what happens, its still an official government paper, I doubt people would be so quick to perjure that document.

So why do it to the census form?

[Tom]

Religion really is no business of the govt.

[Thorin]

Isn't lying on a census form illegal?

So is jaywalking, but if it isn't enforced people will just disregard it.

Yes, section 31 of the Statistics Act indicates that you face a fine of $500 or up to three months in jail or both if you do not fill out in full a census form intended for you by the date specified, but I doubt that there have ever been any convictions.

[Shayne]

Religion really is no business of the govt.

I'd love to agree with that, but with churches and church workers being tax exempt, or even our national anthem with the lyrics "God keep our land glorious and free!", its hard to agree.

Oh, and Thorin, 20,000 people at $500 each is a good chunk of change.

[Thorin]

Religion really is no business of the govt.

Well, except that this particular arm of the government is responsible for providing statistics such as what percentage of the population practices Christianism, Judaism, Muslimism (??), etc, in a grand view.  The real question is not why are they collecting what they're collecting, it's what do we as citizens get out of them collecting it?  Obviously, marketing departments everywhere love knowing how the regions of Canada break down by age, by religion, by sex, by whatever helps them sell.

In the case of collecting information about our personal income (as 1 in 5 households are supposed to provide), I can see that Stats Can providing a chart that lists professions and their average salaries helps me find work that pays a decent salary.  In the case of collecting information about religious affiliation, I just don't see the tangible benefit that could be provided to me.

[Mr. Analog]

I'd simply prefer people to, you know, stop wasting tax payer money by trying to be witty (geek sheep?).

Why not submit your taxes stating that you made $5.00 this tax season and see what happens, its still an official government paper, I doubt people would be so quick to perjure that document.

So why do it to the census form?

The census is a collosal joke and is itself a waste of tax payer money and deserves to be abused, the Canada Revenue Agency knows how much you make and where you live and how many dependants you have based on information you send them every year (or you should send, that is!) why not tack on a few extra questions for one out of every 500 Canadians who have to submit their taxes and collect the information then. Other questions like who I pray to and what kind of housing I live in is nobody's business but my own.

What information does the census provide that is not already collected and maintained by Federal or Provincial Ministries?

[Mr. Analog]

20,000 people at $500 each is a good chunk of change.

Who would tally and collect that? How much would it cost per person? How do you prove that someone is lying on their census form without doing an audit? How embarrassing would it be if the Gov't cracked down on people who entered "Discordianist" as their religion only to find out that it is a real religious movement?

$10 Million sounds like a large number to go after, but how much would it cost to actually go after the majority of offenders at a National level? I have a rough idea how much it costs a certain compensation provider to audit businesses every year and it ain't cheap (and that's for only one Province).

Again, I gotta say, the census is a joke and the penalty for abusing it is representitive of it's importance (or lack thereof).

[Adams]

Religion really is no business of the govt.

I'd love to agree with that, but with churches and church workers being tax exempt, or even our national anthem with the lyrics "God keep our land glorious and free!", its hard to agree.

Oh, and Thorin, 20,000 people at $500 each is a good chunk of change.

Except when you cross the guy who is truly a believer in the force / Jedi... who are we to decide what is a valid religion and what is not... Where does state and religion separate then? We say god keep our land but we accept other religions into our country that do not use the term god...

ummm I think that we should probably end this or at least move it into another topic since this is greetings from down under and unless that means hell, i doubt this topic is about religion and census information.

[Darren Dirt]

ummm I think that we should probably end this or at least move it into another topic since this is greetings from down under and unless that means hell, i doubt this topic is about religion and census information.

Look what I started


As Stewie would say...
DANCE, PUPPETS DANCE!

[Lazybones]

Done