Methodology

Definition of a comment

A comment on a selected topic is a statement made with the clear intention of influencing support for or opposition to any decision that may be made regarding the 2011 Census questions pertaining to that topic.

Selected methodology notes

• Each statement that only makes one comment according to the definition above is only counted once. For example, ‘With the growth in e-learning, it is important to gather more information on this subject' is considered one comment and was only counted once.

• In the case when a comment makes reference to multiple topics or ideas, each has been counted separately. For instance, ‘Ask about religion every five years. Religion is an important ethnocultural variable' is considered two comments and given a count of two: one comment is about how religion should be on every census and the other is about the importance of keeping religion on the questionnaire.

• A submission can contain multiple comments on one census topic. For example, one organization's proposal presented several suggestions on the topic of place of work and mode of transportation. Every idea was developed and considered distinct enough (e.g., collecting data on commute time, multiple modes of transportation and vehicle occupancy) that each was counted separately.

• General comments such as ‘I agree with all of the content changes suggested in the consultation guide' (which refers to the 2011 Census Content Consultation Guide, “Discussion points” chapter, question 1) were included under each topic referred to in that question (i.e., family characteristics, ethnocultural and religious characteristics, Aboriginal peoples, education, place of work and mode of transportation, and housing and shelter costs).

• Comments pertaining to the 2011 Census content captured during previous census cycle consultations or after the November 30, 2007 deadline were entered in 2011 Census database and are being referenced by census experts and other Statistics Canada socioeconomic areas but do not figure in the overall count or findings of this report.

The 2011 Census Content Consultation Guide • The consultation guide presented several proposed changes and included seven questions to assist participants with their submissions. Consequently, the census topics presented in the ”Discussion points” chapter received more comments than others.