Ottawa, July 28, 2010 – The Canadian Hard of Hearing Association, a national organization representing millions of Canadians who live with hearing loss, urges the Government of Canada to immediately revoke its recent decision to eliminate the mandatory long form Canadian census questionnaire.
The Government of Canada recently announced its decision to put an end to the mandatory long form census questionnaire – replacing it with a voluntary survey. The long form mandatory questionnaire is normally sent to 20% of households. It is a crucial source of information about disability, diversity, employment, income, education and other issues. This information is used to provide a solid foundation for good legislation, public policies and programs. Stakeholders, including disability advocates such as the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association, as well as the business community and university researchers, also rely on this information. Together, these stakeholders are raising their voices to oppose the move to eliminate the mandatory long form Canadian census questionnaire.
The Government of Canada ratified the United Nations
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRDP) just last March. According to Article 31 of the
CRDP, States Parties agree to collect appropriate information and statistics. The purpose of this obligation is to help to put the
CRDP into practice, to adequately measure how well States Parties are doing in this regard, and to identify and allow for the correction of any gaps or problems experienced by persons with disabilities in exercising their rights under the
CRDP, such as the right to work, and the right to accessible education. “Throwing out the mandatory long form questionnaire flies in the face of international commitments that Canada made only a few short months ago!” says Louise Normand, National President of the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association.
Prime Minister Harper, please listen to Canadians who are hard of hearing.
Please have the ears to hear! We may not hear well, but we listen and we hope you will too!
Make your voice heard by signing the petition published by Marianne Levitsky at
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/keep-the-canadian-census-long-form.html.
The Canadian Hard of Hearing Association (CHHA) is the voice of hard of hearing Canadians, providing educational programs and advocating self-help. Its aim is full hearing accessibility in Canadian society. It is there to…
Help to Hear Those Who Love to Listen.
For more information, contact Louise Normand, National President, Canadian Hard of Hearing Association, at
reception@chha.ca or call toll free 1-800-263-8068.
- 30 -
