Abandoned Stuff by Saskboy

Critical policy failures of the Canadian online Census | Digital Copyright Canada

[This entry is now out of date, see the update at the bottom.]

Among my ‘favourite’ failures are the inability to fill out the census online unless you’re using Windows or Mac OS, the inability for Canada to find a Canadian developer for the software and hardware, and the awarding of the software contract to an American arms dealer.

At least it seems StatCan did conduct a security evaluation of the software they were provided with. They would have to do that with any software provider, even a domestic one, so it’s nice to know they didn’t make an exception for Lockheed Martin.

The somewhat arbitrary blocking of Linux and BSD computers from participating in the online census is potentially against the Statistics Act. In a way it discriminates against both a company (GNU-Linux providers, BSD providers), and the individuals who use those computer systems. Since the Act was written before Internet was an option to conduct the census, it’s understandable they didn’t foresee this problem. However, next time they’d better take steps to ensure they include more computer users who meet all other system requirements except for where they pay hundreds of dollars to Microsoft or Apple.

No discrimination

9. (1) Neither the Governor in Council nor the Minister shall, in the execution of the powers conferred by this Act, discriminate between individuals or companies to the prejudice of those individuals or companies.

Please fill out a paper Census form. At least you’ll be helping to employ someone at Canada Post, even if StatCan won’t hire someone in your neighbourhood to do data collection. And put a comment on the back, in the space provided, to mention you want them to support Linux and other Operating Systems for use with the online census, and you don’t want Canada to outsource the census out of Canada.

UPDATE: This comment was left by “Linux Tester” on my older blog entry.

The Census online is available with Linux using Mozilla or Firefox. This change for Linux takes effect May 13th, 2006.

Refer to: http://www12.statcan.ca/IRC/english/advisory_e.htm

“This broadened access to open-source users is available to those who have a valid browser and JVM. These minimum requirements are necessary in order to maintain the same level of data encryption with Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). You must have a browser with Java virtual machine (JVM) from Sun Microsystems Inc. (Version 1.4.2_3 or higher)”

Before visiting www.census2006.ca, you should clear your browser’s cache or close and reopen your browser.

The initial list of combinations which worked are :

• Fedora core 5 with Firefox 1.0.4 or more recent
• Suse Linux 10 with Firefox 1.0.4 or more recent

I don’t know if the online version has a Comment box to tell StatCan they shouldn’t outsource the census next time, and instead employ people in Canada to write the software.