Let’s Fix the Census Together!

Posted on By Critical Links 1 Comment on Let’s Fix the Census Together!

Leslie Rosenblood

Every ten years, the Canadian census, the most authoritative source of demographic data about Canadians, asks about religion on the “long form” (sent to approximately a quarter of Canadian households).

What is this person’s religion?

Indicate a specific denomination or religion even if this person is not currently a practising member of that group. For example, Roman Catholic, United Church, Anglican, Muslim, Baptist, Hindu, Pentecostal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jewish, Greek Orthodox, etc.

For additional examples of denominations and religions, visit www12.statcan.gc.ca/religion-e.

Specify one denomination or religion only.

or

No religion

Note the phrase “even if this person is not currently a practising member of that group.” This certainly leads to an undercount of those currently professing “No religion,” though it is impossible to know by how much. 

When the 2021 census was sent out to Canadian households, CFIC and other Humanist organizations urged Canadians that are not “currently a practising member” of any religious denomination to select “No religion.” 

But even better would be to get an accurate count of those who are not not “currently a practising member.” CFIC will be working with Statistics Canada to make a change in the 2031 census (the next one that will ask about religion) to more accurately count the number of humanists, atheists, agnostics, freethinkers, and other groups that loosely fall under the category of “No religion.”

But we can’t do it without you! If you can help Canada better serve its non-religious citizens, please contact Leslie Rosenblood, CFIC Secular Chair, at rosenblood@centreforinquiry.ca. Together, we’ll continue making Canada a better country for all.

critical links, Secularism

Comment (1) on “Let’s Fix the Census Together!”

  1. Has Statistics Canada explained how the over time view of the data will work if the question is reworded? This is why, in part, such questions are not changed very often. This sort of question is also regarded traditionally as even more intrusive than questions about domestic violence and consumption of illicit drugs, amazingly.

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