Posted Aug 5, 2010
By EMC News

EMC News – The Canadian Hard of Hearing Association, a national organization representing millions of Canadians who live with hearing loss, urges the federal government to immediately revoke its recent decision to eliminate the mandatory long form Canadian census questionnaire.

The federal government 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 per cent 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 federal government ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRDP) just last March.

“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.

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.

Submitted by the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association.

Reproduced from http://www.emcalmontecarletonplace.ca/20100805/news/Hard+of+Hearing+Association+urges+government+to+keep+long+form+census