Comments on: Paying for data to study poverty! http://datalibre.ca/2007/11/30/paying-for-data-to-study-poverty/ urging governments to make data about canada and canadians free and accessible to citizens Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:24:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Tracey http://datalibre.ca/2007/11/30/paying-for-data-to-study-poverty/comment-page-1/#comment-321 Tracey Thu, 06 Dec 2007 16:09:25 +0000 http://datalibre.ca/2007/11/30/paying-for-data-to-study-poverty/#comment-321 StatCan is a federal organization, and with the div. of power in Canada, provinces conduct city level analysis. Or cities or NGOs do it themselves. What is important however, is that 3rd party arms length from government organizations have the right to study these issues with public data in order to keep the government accountable. We cannot always rely on gov. to do the analysis we want, but we can expect them to give us accurate, reliable and authentic data to do so. StatCan is a federal organization, and with the div. of power in Canada, provinces conduct city level analysis. Or cities or NGOs do it themselves.

What is important however, is that 3rd party arms length from government organizations have the right to study these issues with public data in order to keep the government accountable. We cannot always rely on gov. to do the analysis we want, but we can expect them to give us accurate, reliable and authentic data to do so.

]]> By: Daniel Haran http://datalibre.ca/2007/11/30/paying-for-data-to-study-poverty/comment-page-1/#comment-320 Daniel Haran Thu, 06 Dec 2007 15:56:06 +0000 http://datalibre.ca/2007/11/30/paying-for-data-to-study-poverty/#comment-320 Let me rephrase that: why didn't StatsCan find what United Way did? They were supposed to be studying poverty, and they did so at a national scale. Even after people argued the situation was different for one city, they either did not tabulate the city data, or chose not to publish it. So, what is going on at StatsCan? Did someone higher up tell them to not publish results? Until more data opens up, I have to assume there's potential for cover-up and corruption. And plain mistakes too, but we can't know. Let me rephrase that: why didn’t StatsCan find what United Way did?

They were supposed to be studying poverty, and they did so at a national scale. Even after people argued the situation was different for one city, they either did not tabulate the city data, or chose not to publish it.

So, what is going on at StatsCan? Did someone higher up tell them to not publish results?

Until more data opens up, I have to assume there’s potential for cover-up and corruption. And plain mistakes too, but we can’t know.

]]> By: Hugh http://datalibre.ca/2007/11/30/paying-for-data-to-study-poverty/comment-page-1/#comment-319 Hugh Thu, 06 Dec 2007 12:10:45 +0000 http://datalibre.ca/2007/11/30/paying-for-data-to-study-poverty/#comment-319 StatsCan *WAS* studying the issue ... United Way had to pay *StatsCan* the 28k!!! So, in fact: This is a perfect example of why we need more FREE data. StatsCan *WAS* studying the issue … United Way had to pay *StatsCan* the 28k!!!

So, in fact:
This is a perfect example of why we need more FREE data.

]]> By: hughmcguire.net · how much to know you're poor? http://datalibre.ca/2007/11/30/paying-for-data-to-study-poverty/comment-page-1/#comment-318 hughmcguire.net · how much to know you're poor? Wed, 05 Dec 2007 18:05:24 +0000 http://datalibre.ca/2007/11/30/paying-for-data-to-study-poverty/#comment-318 [...] posted this over at Datalibre.ca …: There is an excellent article in the Toronto Star about why we have little understanding [...] [...] posted this over at Datalibre.ca …: There is an excellent article in the Toronto Star about why we have little understanding [...]

]]> By: Daniel Haran http://datalibre.ca/2007/11/30/paying-for-data-to-study-poverty/comment-page-1/#comment-307 Daniel Haran Sat, 01 Dec 2007 20:19:26 +0000 http://datalibre.ca/2007/11/30/paying-for-data-to-study-poverty/#comment-307 This is a perfect example of why we need more data: it is a question of accountability. Why wasn't Statistics Canada studying this? This is a perfect example of why we need more data: it is a question of accountability.

Why wasn’t Statistics Canada studying this?

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