A Libertarian Solution to the Census Debacle

A lot of people disagree with Harper's decision to make the long-form census voluntary. So let's all fill it out.

If you’re unhappy with Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s decision to make the long-form census voluntary, there’s an easy solution that doesn’t require any action by the government.

Just fill it out anyway.

And urge everyone else who gets the long form to do the same.

That’s right. As a country, we can rise up to show our displeasure with Harper – by filling out the census as if doing so is still mandatory.

What I’m proposing, in case it’s not clear, is a nation-wide citizen’s movement.

Each of us would pledge to complete every question on the long census. Consider it an act of civil disobedience.

I know what you’re thinking: Usually when the citizens of a country rise up, it’s to disobey a law.

This may well be the first instance of a revolution that’s based on the idea of complying with controversial legislation, albeit legislation that’s no longer in force.

What could the Tory government do?

It’s not like Harper can force Canadians to not fill out the census in full, if that’s their desire.

As citizens, we still have the option of voluntarily surrendering the information Statistics Canada requires from us.

Judging by the reaction of ordinary Canadians in the last few days, a large portion of the population wants the official information agency to have the correct answers to its questions.

So let’s give them up. No one can stop us.

All Harper has done is removed the penalties for not participating. He hasn’t taken away our collective free will.

You may be thinking this is too ... libertarian ... a solution. You’d be right on the nose.

What I’m counting on is for Canadians to exercise their right to act on their own to change this country.

Harper wants to take us in a new direction. Canadians, being essentially conservative, are happy with the status quo.

As a group, we can act to preserve that status quo.

If you want an analogy, what I’m proposing is an effort along the lines of the organ-donation movement.

Each individual makes an independent decision to sign their donor card. This would be the same type of campaign.

Nothing is stopping us. We can make this census happen. Heck, it could even become trendy.

Harper says he was responding to complaints from those who find the long form intrusive. I don’t buy that for a second. This was a political decision, a message to the social-conservative base that he’s in favour of less government.

The truth is he wants to do as much social engineering as die-hard lefties, just of a different sort.

But we can fight back. We can show him we disagree, that he’s misjudged the public mood.

The only question is: Does the will exist to defy Harper?

Are Canadians upset enough over this issue to act?

It may seem silly to behave as though the penalties for not filling out the extended questionnaire are still in place, but such is the price for making Canada a better country.

Now who’s with me?

This article originally appeared in the London Free Press.