In 2010, the federal government eliminated the mandatory long-form census, yet another blow to the place of scientific evidence in public policy making. Census data provides evidence that allows us to make informed decisions about social services, to address employment and labour market needs, to make business investment decisions and to plan for the future. Census data is also an invaluable tool for researchers in­vestigating topics from health care to pov­erty and income distribution to Aboriginal studies.

The census provided researchers with cru­cial data sets. Crucial, not only because they provided a comprehensive survey of the entire country of a certain accuracy and spatial resolution, but also because they could be compared to earlier census data in order to observe and analyze trends in Canadian society. The census was an excellent research tool that provided high-quality, longitudinal data series.

We know now that the quality of data resulting from the voluntary 2011 National House­hold Survey (which replaced the long-form census) was very poor. The systematic errors arising from correlations between socio-economic condition and survey response rate were insurmountable. As a result, eliminating the mandatory long-form census had a significant impact, as predicted, on all sorts of research.

This is why I tabled my private member’s bill, Bill C-626, which will reinstate the mandatory long-form census and protect the independence of the Chief Statistician. Members of Parliament (excluding Cabinet) have only one chance to bring legislation forward for second reading debate. My turn has finally come up. Bill C-626 was up for the first hour of debate on Nov. 6, 2014, and is scheduled to come up for a vote in early February 2015.

During the process, I ask you, as members of the research community, for your help in three important ways:

First, I would like your feedback. If you support all or part of the bill, or see any potential shortcomings in it, please discuss it in a public place, or directly with me. If the bill passes second reading, it will be sent for a committee review, where I would be open to amendments.

Next, if you are able to share your stories about how the elimination of the manda­tory long-form census has affected your research, you can make a difference by being a witness and telling the Canadian public about the impact of this policy. I ask you, over the next few weeks, to submit op-eds to local newspapers, or post a write-up on your blog, or email me directly with the ways the elimination of the long-form census has affected your work.

Lastly, after you look over the bill, if you support it, please immediately reach out to your MP, to let them know why you would like to see the census reinstated and to ask them to support Bill C-626. Please don’t hesitate to email me if you have any questions.

Passing Bill C-626 will reinstate the census, one of the most valuable research tools available to Canadian researchers and policy makers. We need accurate, reliable data to understand the challenges we face in order to solve these problems.

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Ted Hsu is the Liberal MP for Kingston and the Islands and the science and technology critic for the party. He can be reached at ted.hsu@parl.gc.ca.