The thing is, WE DIDN'T WANT the long census abolished. It's essential to tracking whether government programs are actually succeeding in their goals.

The conservatives didn't like that idea, they just wanted to spend with impunity and abolish our environmental laws. Culling the census was step one.

I remember this.

It took me three tries to get through.

Who in the world would actually be EXCITED to fill out census forms?It sounds as tedious as waiting in line at the checkout.

@wingweaver84 They're an important means of government accountability, which our conservatives had taken pains to dispose with along with half our environmental regulations.

@Monty688 While I understand their importance,that's not really what I was asking. I was asking why people were excited to fill them out when all censuses really are are a form to fill out your name,residence,age,and occupation. It's only every 10 years it's done,but still.

I refuse to believe it was enthusiasm and suspect it was actually "it's once again legally required so we should probably do it asap before we forget" .

@wecallitparadise

More "relief" than "enthusiasm", like the ability to solve a toothache that's been bothering you on-and-off for years. It needed to be done and the conservatives wouldn't let us do it.

The interesting thing is that, previously, most people considered doing the census to be a tedious chore. But in 2016, the attitude totally flipped. At least that is what it was like in my area.

Correction: the long-form census was never gone. However, it was previously an obligation to fill it for those asked to do it, the previous government removed that obligation, scrapping the data because it became non-comparable with previous census. The current government returned to an obligation to fill the long-form census.

Yep: http://www.680news.com/2016/05/03/canadians-enthusiasm-for-long-form-census-return-crashes-site/

Meanwhile in the US, people act like government census is them attempting to spy on you to get your home address.

They don't seem to realize the fallacy as they throw out the form that was mailed to them.

Same happened with Australia in their census.

@jonathan7157
Yeah, it was a waste of 4 hours on the night or family decided to do it.