Long-form census helped social advocacy

Regarding the Feb. 2 Nunatsiaq Online census coverage (Nunatsiaq Online, Feb. 2, 2011)

“Critics of the change have said the long-form census helped Inuit achieve a way of life that is on par with that expected by average Canadians.”

By any measure, life span, literacy, food security, infant mortality or others, Inuit as a group are not “on par.”

Critics, including myself, feel that a very important tool‚ objective and consistently collected data, has been lost, which makes it harder to show how, in fact, unequal the standards of living are for Inuit and other aboriginal Canadians.

Without the long form survey of the census, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., the Government of Nunavut, informed citizens and others who care to advocate for change have less information and therefore less power to move our agenda of equality forward.

Madeleine Cole
Iqaluit

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