Policy Insights

Maytree calls on the Government of Canada to keep the completion of census long form mandatory

Good data is essential for crafting public policy based on evidence.  Statistics Canada is one of the world’s foremost statistical agencies. With data collected through the long form,  it has provided facts, trends and analysis to governments, businesses, and not-profit organizations. The government’s decision to make the long census optional will seriously undermine Canada’s ability to fully understand all its citizens and plan for their future. Of special concern to Maytree is that the most vulnerable among us are also the least likely to fill out a voluntary form.  This will seriously undermines Canada’s capacity to make informed and reasoned decisions in their interest.

Maytree supports TRIEC, CD Howe, Canadian Institute of Planners, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and many others in calling for a reversal of the  Government of Canada’s decision to drop mandatory completion of the census long form.

Recent Changes to Canada’s Immigration

The Federal Skilled Worker Program
On June 26, Citizenship and Immigration Canada announced changes to the occupation list from which skilled workers are eligible to apply. The list is now comprised of 29 occupations, and the federal government will only accept 20,000 applications, with no more than 1,000 in each profession. In effect, these limits to the skilled worker program devolve immigration to the provinces and employers, raise expectations that immigrant’s skills will be recognized in Canada (while barriers still exist in these professions), and do not recognize the complex nature of a knowledge-based economy. For more on recent trends in immigration, read Naomi Alboim’s Adjusting the Balance: Fixing Canada’s Economic Immigration Policies.

On a positive note, the government also announced that it will now require all federal skilled workers and Canadian Experience Class applicants to submit the results of an independent language test. This is a welcome development because language proficiency in English or French is the most important indicator of labour market success. See this CIC press release for more details.

Refugee Determination
On March 30, 2010, the government tabled legislation in the House of Commons to reform Canada’s Inland Refugee Protection System, Bill C-11. The Bill sets out to make the refugee claim process faster and fairer. Notably, it implements a full appeal of the first decision on a refugee claim to a new Refugee Appeals Division. Peter Showler, Director of the Refugee Forum at the University of Ottawa writes that “The government has made a practical and legitimate attempt to balance fairness with prompt refugee claim processing. As usual, with such a complex system of refugee determination, the devil will indeed be in the details.” For more, see highlights of recent developments.

Recommended Publication

Maytree Policy Insights – From Insecurity to Prosperity: Practical Ideas for a Stronger Canada
This document is a must-read for policy makers and practitioners who are interested in ideas that reduce poverty and promote inclusion. The ideas have been prepared by Maytree’s policy partners on issues such as employment insurance, caregiver benefits, community engagement, diversity in the arts, immigration and refugee policy.

For all inquiries, please contact policy@maytree.com.