Always wanted to “go down in the history books” but not sure how? It’s easy- answer the 2011 Canadian census, and answer YES to question 10. The census is a rich source of information for future researchers to understand ordinary Canadians. But they will only be able to see your data if you answer YES to question 10, which allows your data to be made available in 92 years, in the year 2103.
Graphic courtesy of the Association of Canadian Archivists.
The Association of Canadian Archivists is advocating for all Canadians to be aware of the implications behind question 10. Unfortunately, in the 2006 census only 56% of respondents agreed to allow their responses to be released in the year 2098. What can you do to stop this from happening again?
- Fill in the census form (information available on the Stats Can website if you have not received a form at your home: http://census2011.gc.ca/) and answer YES to question 10.
- Encourage your family and friends to do the same.
- Sign up for the Association of Canadian Archivists Facebook event to show your support.
- Print this poster from the ACA and hang it in your workplace.
To discover the rich information held in census data, go the the Library and Archives Canada Census page. The most recent census data available is from 1911.