# You fill out my census... (Canadian Version 2011) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 8, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fill-out-my-census-canadian-version-2011/581174 "2011-05-08T17:50:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fill-out-my-census-canadian-version-2011/581174/1 "2011-05-08T17:50:31Z")
I just filled out my Canadian census information on line. It took way less than 5 minutes, even figuring out the language questions. (Asking the Beau if I can speak French well enough to carry on a conversation… woohoo 92 years from now I am BILINGUAL FOLKS!) I accidentally input my son’s year of birth as 2011. It told me to try again, since his birthday is in December, so he wouldn’t be born yet. Any other Canadians fill out their forms? Are you doing it long hand or on line? Who got the “extended questionaire”. I did not. My son will be 100 years old when the information is released. Hello future grandchildren (who will be probably 60+) and great Grands (in their 30s? maybe?) maybe the great greats will be around too. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fill-out-my-census-canadian-version-2011/581174/2 "2011-05-08T17:53:53Z")
You want us to fill out your census but don’t provide the questions. Is this not a spoof thread? ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fill-out-my-census-canadian-version-2011/581174/3 "2011-05-08T18:10:46Z")
No just a bad pun thread title. I have had[Annie’s Song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R7qWVtUgCs) running through my head since I opened the envelope this morning. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fill-out-my-census-canadian-version-2011/581174/4 "2011-05-08T18:51:09Z")
I considered adding “Not long, intrusive, or mandatory enough” in the comments section on mine. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fill-out-my-census-canadian-version-2011/581174/5 "2011-05-08T19:12:48Z")
Didn’t get the long form, took about 15 minutes, but only because I was watching TV at the same time. > [@Gorsnak](#): > > I considered adding “Not long, intrusive, or mandatory enough” in the comments section on mine. 😛 I like order, good governance, information and statistics, so submitting census data gets me all excited. That said, the 2011 Census subtitle “Complete the census - it’s the law” seemed overly stern to me, so I submitted some alternate options. I believe “Complete the census - coupon for free icecream enclosed” was my most persuasive one. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Lurker\_Above](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Lurker\_Above](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Lurker_Above)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fill-out-my-census-canadian-version-2011/581174/6 "2011-05-08T19:13:58Z")
> [@Gorsnak](#): > > I considered adding “Not long, intrusive, or mandatory enough” in the comments section on mine. 😛 I thought I was the only one thinking about adding a comment like that. In the end I left the comments blank but seriously, if you’re gonna have a census at least _try_ to collect some serious data. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fill-out-my-census-canadian-version-2011/581174/7 "2011-05-08T19:19:57Z")
Didn’t Harper kill the census last summer? I could have sworn he did as I stared at the thing I got in the mail. However, not being insane I had no problem filling out on line. I got the short form and I took me all of 5 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Lurker\_Above](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Lurker\_Above](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Lurker_Above)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fill-out-my-census-canadian-version-2011/581174/8 "2011-05-08T19:37:25Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Didn’t Harper kill the census last summer? > > I could have sworn he did as I stared at the thing I got in the mail. However, not being insane I had no problem filling out on line. I got the short form and I took me all of 5 minutes. He cancelled the mandatory long-form of the census. Everyone still has to do the short form; and I believe that some random households get the long-form but completion is voluntary. (unless they changed there minds since last I checked.) ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fill-out-my-census-canadian-version-2011/581174/9 "2011-05-08T19:46:26Z")
I put “Bring back the long-form census” in the comments section. My grandkids will know I’m NOT a libertarian. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fill-out-my-census-canadian-version-2011/581174/10 "2011-05-08T19:51:41Z")
> [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](#): > > No just a bad pun thread title. I have had[Annie’s Song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5R7qWVtUgCs) running through my head since I opened the envelope this morning. I laughed. StG ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fill-out-my-census-canadian-version-2011/581174/11 "2011-05-08T20:06:25Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > I laughed. > > StG The Beau says he feels sorry for you. He also told me that further puns would have me listing my household occupancy as two, or maybe one if he moved out with The Boy, citing cruelty. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fill-out-my-census-canadian-version-2011/581174/12 "2011-05-08T20:11:42Z")
By the way is there any way to search for the little intros that “the Voice” on The Current provide. There was a funny one last year about Harper killing the long form census. I am not a podcast type person so trying to find it would be a long process. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fill-out-my-census-canadian-version-2011/581174/13 "2011-05-08T20:24:57Z")
I missed all the excitement over my census due to my playing Santana too loudly on the stereo. A census person drove up the dive and was stopped by the neighbour’s German shepherd. The barking brought out the neighbour’s neighbour’s German Sherphed, so the census person started honking his car’s horn. That brought out my neighbour who took the census package from the census person and walked it over to my place. The dogs came inside to play with The World’s Friendliest Cat, and the census person drove off in a huff. Such is my life of adventure and excitement in rural northwestern Ontario. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fill-out-my-census-canadian-version-2011/581174/14 "2011-05-08T20:31:49Z")
Interesting census. It asks you to fill in your address. Unfortunately, I think I blew it, for it didn’t give me anywhere near enough space to fill in my address. A couple of weeks ago, I received a letter saying that the census people would be calling me, and that it is required by law that I speak with them, but the have not called. If they do call, I wonder what they will do to me for not having a suitable short address? Perhaps if I store up enough canned chili and other foodstuffs, I can hold out until the fall, for I hear that my address will officially be changed to something a lot shorter then. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fill-out-my-census-canadian-version-2011/581174/15 "2011-05-08T20:51:52Z")
This is the third country we have filled out a census for (UK, US, Canada). I waffled for a long time on the language question: “Does this person speak any other languages on a regular basis at home?” I speak Italian fairly regularly, but not natively, and not in the home since **Mr. Mallard** doesn’t speak it. On that logic, though, I wouldn’t have been able to mark anything if I lived alone! I ended up deciding against it, since the spirit of the question seems to exclude languages you’re practising while trying to learn them. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fill-out-my-census-canadian-version-2011/581174/16 "2011-05-08T21:23:07Z")
Well, I just logged on to do it (thanks for the reminder **MLS**!) and we were selected for the long form! So I filled it out - it still only took about 10 minutes to complete. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fill-out-my-census-canadian-version-2011/581174/17 "2011-05-08T22:01:14Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > This is the third country we have filled out a census for (UK, US, Canada). I waffled for a long time on the language question: “Does this person speak any other languages on a regular basis at home?” I speak Italian fairly regularly, but not natively, and not in the home since **Mr. Mallard** doesn’t speak it. On that logic, though, I wouldn’t have been able to mark anything if I lived alone! I ended up deciding against it, since the spirit of the question seems to exclude languages you’re practising while trying to learn them. Well I put the Beau as regularly speaking French, because he calls his dad and sister from our home, as well as business contacts who are French. We speak English together except when we are trying to keep the Boy in the dark about something, or sometimes when I try to improve. The Beau says I speak French well enough to carry on a conversation, I filled it out that way, I feel all excited that in 92 years I will be considered bilingual. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fill-out-my-census-canadian-version-2011/581174/18 "2011-05-08T22:03:41Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > Interesting census. It asks you to fill in your address. > > Unfortunately, I think I blew it, for it didn’t give me anywhere near enough space to fill in my address. > > A couple of weeks ago, I received a letter saying that the census people would be calling me, and that it is required by law that I speak with them, but the have not called. If they do call, I wonder what they will do to me for not having a suitable short address? > > Perhaps if I store up enough canned chili and other foodstuffs, I can hold out until the fall, for I hear that my address will officially be changed to something a lot shorter then. What about on line, did you try that? Mine was pre-populated when I put the access code in. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fill-out-my-census-canadian-version-2011/581174/19 "2011-05-08T22:06:51Z")
I didn’t know it was on-line until I read this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fill-out-my-census-canadian-version-2011/581174/20 "2011-05-08T22:13:10Z")
> [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](#): > > We speak English together except when we are trying to keep the Boy in the dark about something, … This is an excellent way to teach the Boy French. Or at least whatever passes for it in your house. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-fill-out-my-census-canadian-version-2011/581174.md?page=2)