The Next Canadian Census.

Year
1880
Month
6
Day
4
Article Title
The Next Canadian Census.
Page Number
2
Article Type
Language
Article Contents
Says the Toronto Mail: The Montreal Gazette coincides with our view as to desirable changes in the mode of taking the census. It favors the “photographic” plan by which all details have reference to a particular night, and all persons are credited to the locality where they happen to be, regardless of any other domicile. As regards the nationality question, it says that in consequence of having no column in the schedule for Canadians, some curious anomalies occurred. In one instance the parents were both native Canadians, and the eight children were also native Canadians. The mother of the father was Scotch, and the father and mother of the mother were Scotch; but because the father of the father happened to be Irish, the whole family had to be put down as of Irish origin. The Gazette thinks that there should be a column for native Canadians, and that the second generation, at any rate, should be considered as of Canadian origin. It seems to us that a preferable way would be simply to give the birthplace, ignoring “origin” altogether, unless our Quebec friends wish to make a discrimination between French and other Canadians, as was done in the census of 1861. Since there is no way of getting at the “origin” of the people accurately, as there is so much inter-marriage between the different nationalities, the Mail’s suggestions would seem to be timely , and by all means let us have a Canadian column in the next census returns. We think birth in the first generation is sufficient to entitle a person to be called a Canadian. Past censuses have not been taken in a manner altogether satisfactory, and the Government, which knows this, will probably feel impelled to make some change from the method followed heretofore.