Ignorance is Bliss?

Its old news that the Harper Regime eliminated the long form Census thus also eliminating reliable information on the economic and social status of various areas and communities across the country. Nor should it be news that like many other departments (with the notable exception of the PMO) their budget has been cut. Statscan’s budget has fallen by $29.3-million in the past two years, and its staffing has fallen by 767 people, or 18.5 per cent, in the same period, excluding the census and surveys paid for by outside clients. Its been hard enough in the past to get up to date stats on employment, population trends, poverty and corporate profits with most data being anywhere from 6 months to 2 years or more out of date before being publicly available but now we don’t even ask the questions or have the staff to analyze it.

It should then not be a surprise that after commissioning a survey of 25,000 employers that cost $4.6-million to shed light on the extent of the country’s skills gap it was not published due to “ we have no funding for it, we’re reviewing the data so that we can document how well the survey worked”. Strange how the minister has been saying how there is a skills shortage and how we must import forgiven workers to fill those positions when they have not even fully analysed or publicized their own survey on just that subject! Must not let the facts get in the way of a good corporate scam eh!

In a similar mindset it seems that a survey of the effectiveness the $15 million (2013) Economic (In)action Plan advertising that was taken at a cost of $31,000 now omits to ask whether those that saw them actually took any notice or went to the web site. It would seem that when these questions were asked in the past few even recalled seeing the ads and many of those that did said the ads were a "waste of money" and represented "propaganda," in an April 2012 survey. So in typical Sargent Shultz fashion such questions are no longer asked. They continue to spend millions on this questionable advertising which provides no real information on their “plan” and thousands on surveying the results without asking any questions which might result in actual meaningful results.

Now I wonder why they are not asking the public what it thinks of their (Un)fair Election Act? With having been just slapped down with their Senate Reform plans by the courts you would think that they would at least make an effort to get the FACTS of public opinion, but that is not in their DNA. After stalling, withholding evidence and being generally “uncooperative” with the robocall enquiry they have managed to bring it to a point where 'not enough evidence' can be found to PROVE wrongdoing, they will now go full speed ahead to make it even harder to prosecute those who participate in election fraud. It will be interesting to see exactly what comes of the sudden possible acceptance of amendments to their election act legislation. For the most part there is only one group who has, and will continue to, try and cheat during an election and its NOT the Electors.... but dont ask any questions eh!

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