Abstract
The discontinuation of the Canadian long-form mandatory census presents a crisis for data users. Examined as a tension between the need to preserve individual civil liberties and the need to curtail those liberties for the public good, the census crisis presents an opportunity for a public discussion on the specifics of our national values, beliefs and expectations.
Key words: Public policy, censuses, informed consent, ethics, research
Résumé
L’abandon du questionnaire détaillé obligatoire pour le Recensement canadien constitue une crise pour les utilisateurs de ces données. Examinée sous l’angle de la tension entre le besoin de préserver les libertés civiles individuelles et le besoin de réduire ces libertés pour le bien public, la crise du Recensement offre la possibilité de débattre publiquement des particularités de nos valeurs, de nos convictions et de nos attentes à l’échelle nationale.
Mots clés: politique publique, recensements, consentement éclairé, éthique de la recherche
Footnotes
Conflict of Interest: None to declare.
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