Saskatchewan Woman Convicted of Refusing to Fill Out Census

Sandra Finley is facing a $500 fine and three months in prison.

Finley’s conviction in a Saskatoon court Thursday has reignited debate over the long-form census, which caused a political firestorm last summer after Industry Minister Tony Clement announced that the mandatory survey would be replaced with a voluntary form. Criticism of that move was widespread, with the opposition parties and civil society groups of all political stripes complaining that it would hinder the government’s ability to provide services to citizens. Finley, who is the former leader of the Saskatchewan Green Party, refused to fill out the form because she found it too intrusive, seemingly giving political weight to the Conservatives’ claim that Canadians find the census a breach of privacy.