[Dr Caleb]

[QUOTE BY= Roy_Whyte] [QUOTE BY= Dancing] That Dr Caleb can interpret my response to Ivan Felligi's letter (to me) as being "pro-census" is a great surprise to me.[/QUOTE]<br /> <br /> I agree. Where did you get that idea Dr Caleb?<br /> [/QUOTE]<br /> <br /> Yea, I think it's because I was up for two days straight. My bad.<br /> <br /> I haven't heard anything from my local census people ethier.

[sthompson]

I haven't heard anything personally regarding my census, but then nothing was delivered to my door (I live in rural area and it has to be delivered). I was then put in the interesting position of deciding whether or not to call Statistics Canada and request the form or internet code so I could NOT fill it out! Seemed most sensible in the end not to ask for a form I don't want. <br /> <br /> I have, however, heard from two people over email who are being threatened with charges for refusing to complete their forms although no referral to the justice department as yet. Waiting to see what happens.<br /> <br /> Incidentally, I do agree with the comment above--not everyone who boycotts will actually let us know. It tends to be the smaller percentage of people who actually write and tell us what they're doing. Just for instance, there was an interview with someone on As It Happens who was boycotting for all the reasons we've listed who AFAIK hasn't ever directly contacted us. Even of those who wrote, many people wrote to say simply that they were taking part but didn't specify how and I am only counting boycotters as people who explicitly said they were boycotting completely. Also, according to a reporter about a week prior to census day over 300 people had called Statistics Canada to complain about Lockheed's involvement and very few of those people informed us since we didn't explicitly ask for people to do that. Anyway, bottom line is please don't be discouraged by the numbers because they represent only those who informed us of what they are doing. The actual count is definitely larger.

[Kevan Taylor]

I also have not heard anything from the census people. I live in Calgary and have not filled in the form.<br /> <br /> I will be interested in any information about Gary Gavreau, who beat the charges.<br /> <br /> I am quite perpared to pay the fine but worry about any other consequences.

[Dancing]

I try to stay present in today. Today is a really beautiful day here where I live! And in a way, I've met you - that's a good thing that has happened. What will come, will come. Deal with whatever comes, WHEN it comes. NO sense worrying about it today, because it hasn't happened. And you'll miss today if you worry about tomorrow. You are taking action, doing what is right. That's awesome!

[FurGaia]

<br /> I agree with <b>Dancing</b>. No need to worry about what has not happened yet.<br /> <br /> One of my great heroes is Harry Tuttle from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil_(movie)">Brazil</a>. He just went about doing what he had to do, not worrying about anything, even having fun doing his stuff. In the end, he was gotten rid of (well, sort of) smothered in tons of paper!<br /> <br /> I figure that's not such a bad way to go (figuratively, I mean).

[Roy_Whyte]

Well someone came by yesterday afternoon but I was not home. So I will drop another blank form in the mailbox with a repeat of what I told them earlier.

[claytonrumley]

The Mrs. and I are generally away from home during the day so I haven't had a face-to-face yet.<br /> <br /> However, a day or so ago we received a "Reminder Card" in our mailbox stating the following:<br /> <br /> <blockquote>Your household recently received a 2006 Census questionnaire.<br /> <br /> If you have already returned your questionnaire, we thank you for your cooperation.<br /> <br /> If you have not yet returned it, please do so by using one of the following methods...<br /> </blockquote><br /> It then goes on to list the various ways on can comply. Nowhere on the card does it state that failure to comply is illegal.<br /> <br /> The only other interesting thing is the "Reference Number" filled out in pen at the bottom of the card. It has a two-digit number labelled "PROV" (which I assume stands for "Province", but mine is filled in as "46". I don't know why Manitoba would have such a high number, but whatever. Probably a Lockheed-Martin thing), a 2-digit field named "CD", a 4-digit field "CU" and a final 4-digit field named "VR Line No". Definately my official "Statistics Canada Evildoer Number".<br /> <br /> For now, the reminder card goes onto my "census-related bric-a-brac" pile on my table and we wait and see what happens next.<br /> <br /> Good luck to all the boycotters!

[Milton]

I refused delivery on the census form that came in the mail. A census worker came by Friday evening (she told me that the deadline was almost up, I said that I thought the deadline had passed, she said that it had but that Stats Can had decided to extend it further), and gave me the big census form, (she asked if I would fill it out now, I said that I wouldn't fill it out now, she then assumed that I would fill it out later), but she didn't have any envelopes and apparently she has forgotten that she promised to bring me one. Woe is me, what am I to do? I guess I will have to wait until another census worker comes by. <br /> <br /> One of the questions in the long form reads as follows:<br /> <br /> "17. What were the ethnic or cultural origins of this persons ancestors?"<br /> <br /> It prefaces the question by saying that:<br /> <br /> "The census has collected information on the ancestoral origins of the population for over 100 years to capture the composition of Canada's diverse population."<br /> <br /> Question 18 asks if this person is an aboriginal.<br /> <br /> Question 19 asks if this person is <br /> white<br /> Chinese<br /> South Asian<br /> Black<br /> Filipino<br /> Latin American<br /> Southeast Asian<br /> Arab<br /> West Asian<br /> Korean<br /> Japanese<br /> or <br /> other<br /> <br /> I think I belong to the "other" category, to be specific I am an Earthling.<br /> I don't remember ever being asked about my ancestors on a census form. These questions really offend me. If they want to start off with is this person white then the rest<br /> of the choices should be along these lines , black, yellow, brown, red, green, etc.<br /> Then there are the extensive employment questions, where you work (ed), how long, how many hours, what kind of business is it, if you are unemployed are you looking for work, etc.<br /> Extensive questions on income sources,<br /> Extensive housing questions.<br /> <br /> What a racist piece of privacy invasion this thing is!

[Dr Caleb]

[QUOTE BY= Milton]<br /> What a racist piece of privacy invasion this thing is![/QUOTE]<br /> <br /> Indeed! I was born here, my father, his father, his father . . .When does 'Canadian' become an option?<br /> <br /> Sounds like you got the 'long form'.

[rearguard]

[QUOTE]I thought the deadline had passed, she said that it had but that Stats Can had decided to extend it further[/QUOTE]<br /> <br /> Interesting use of words, but we knew they'd be beating on doors for at least up to a month after the official deadline, which was already extended.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://http://www22.statcan.ca/ccr_r000_e.htm">2006 Census of Canada: It’s not too late...</a><br /> <br /> No threats of punishment for refusal to be seen on their website (that I noticed), they know better.<br /> <br /> Has anyone been threatened yet? My understanding is that the threats start only after the low paid temps give up on you and pass you up the food chain a notch.<br /> <br /> I would love to know how many people have not sent in their forms relative to previous census years, but of course, Stats Can won't ever provide us with that statistic.<br />

[rearguard]

Well I just got my first reminder notice dropped off in my mail slot. <br /> <br /> The low paid employee drew a smily face on the card.<br /> <br /> There are three options listed for responding, internet, mail, and phone. "Phone" is circled presumably to suggest that's the option I should take.<br /> <br /> One down, two more visits to go ...<br />

[FurGaia]

<b>Rearguard</b>, thanks for keeping us in the loop!<br /> <br /> Good luck and <i>bon courage</i>!

[Roy_Whyte]

Just spoke with a nice lady from StatsCan that came to my door on this lovely evening. I stated I would not comply until ordered by a court of law to do so. She not so surprisingly did not have the slightest clue as to Lockheed Martin is, or what is their business model. <img align=absmiddle src='images/smilies/rolleyes.gif' alt='Rolling Eyes'> <br /> <br /> I had a handy note ready for her to attach to my 'case' file. "I will not complete this census due to the involvement of Lockheed Martin. I will not give my tacit support for war profiteers. There should be no blood for stats!" <img align=absmiddle src='images/smilies/cool.gif' alt='Cool'>

[Dancing]

Thoughts in which you might be interested.<br /> <br /> Albert Camus: <br /> in such a world of conflict, a world of victims and executioners, it is the job of thinking people, not to be on the side of the executioners.<br /> <br /> <br /> "... nonviolent resistance as a political force is still young, its possibilities not yet well enough known, and is thus seldom an incitement to the masses and is seldom encouraged by the media. For all that, those striving for human rights are dependent on our solidarity and the feeling is growing of an ever increasing threat through the power of dictatorships, the armaments race and the immobility of bureaucrats.<br /> Gandhi presented the principles of nonviolent resistance to the world, but the methods - corresponding to the various hierarchies - have to be very different, should they lead to success. Through the multiplicity of nonviolent resistance, so rich in ideas, it can be demonstrated that the most powerful effective opposing forces can be mobilized against every form of violence ..."<br /> <br /> The Berlin Wall and the Communist regime in East Germany came down. The non-violent resistance that brought it down is graphically recorded in this<br /> homey, old, cramped museum (at Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin). This poem was penned by an unknown East German.<br /> It spoke to me then and always will:<br /> <br /> "The red-painted tyranny was not<br /> The worst about our tyrants<br /> The worst thereby were we ourselves<br /> All our cowardice and servility<br /> And that we also were the evil ourselves<br /> Just that is the chance and our luck<br /> You see: It works! We also take back<br /> The everlasting human right ourselves<br /> <br /> Now we breathe again, we cry and we laugh<br /> the stale sadness out of the breast<br /> man, we are stronger than rats and dragons<br /> - and had forgotten it and always knew."<br />

[4Canada]

Two things:<br /> <br /> On Saturday we were visited by a Census worker and at that time I wrote on the form she provided (even though I still had my original), the reason I personally am protesting the Census 2006 and sent her on her way. <br /> <br /> My older sister said she made her's so illegible that you couldn't make out her name. It made me laugh to tears when she said the only thing you could make out was the check she made stating StatsCan could not use her information in 90 years.<br /> <br /> This a.m. Mr. 4Canada heard on the radio an ad from StatsCan urging people to send in their information either by form or online. Of course they reiterated that IT IS THE LAW! I think there must be many, many, many that are not complying or why would they be advertizing now?