How to Save the Long Form Census*

*(and make Stephen Harper Look Silly)

A responsible citizen completes his personal information

Is this a political 'dirty trick'? A prank? A thumbing of the nose at authority? A deliberate attempt at embarrassing the Prime Minister?

Well yes. Now that we have the motive out of the way, onwards.

Assumptive that you agree that the collection of reliable and complete data is necessary for government and private priorities and planning, here is something you can do.

First, go to this web page. Download and print your own copy of the 2006 Canadian census. Make photocopies and give them to friends. Take a big red marker and cross out 2006 and write in 2011. Fill in as much of the rest as you wish. Then tuck it in an envelope and mail it to your favourite Federal politician. I would suggest Michael Ignatieff, Jack Layton or Gilles Duceppe. They'll like you a lot for doing it.

Mail, by the way, sent to Federal MPs is franked: no postage required. Here is the address:


Mr. John Smith (or whomever)
House of Commons
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0A6


It is then suggested that the leaders present the collected census forms en masse by dropping the bags into the  well of the House of Commons as a petition. Yes, just like Miracle on 34th Street.

Show that you care. And if you care, then share: Facebook, Twitter, email. If in one month we can get 20,000 forms sent in, I believe we'll have proven our point.

Strike a blow for freedom!

- H