Another senior staff person has left Statistics Canada, alleging the agency no longer fosters the free exchange of ideas.
Philip Cross, Statscan’s chief economic analyst, resigned in January to work at the CD Howe Institute.
Cross reported he had concerns about the national household survey, which replaced the mandatory long-form census. The voluntary survey leaves segments of the population missing from the sample, he claims, compromising the quality and distribution of the data. But he says the government stifles internal debate or dissent.
Discussion “is limited by management’s insistence on being ‘on-message’ all the time about (2011) census and NHS being a success,” he told the Globe and Mail.
Cross said he would be able to continue to undertake research using Statscan data now offered for free.