What rhymes with census?

Every cause needs a song and now the controversy over the long-form census (believe it or not) has its own tune. Courtesy of gay-rights activist John Campey and an ad hoc accompanying group called "the Data Hounds," here's the song, borrowed from that old Gary Lewis and the Playboys hit, "Count Me In." If you'd like to sing along, I've put the lyrics below.

Count me in (with apologies to Gary Lewis and the Playboys)

Give us back the long form census - Count me in!
Information we rely on, through thick and thin
It's a source of crucial data that we never doubt
If you think that we don't care -- you can't count!

When you count the ones who need it, count me too.
Towns and cities -- every province -- think it through!
Public transit, schools and health care, even business too!
Tory pollsters -- yes, even you!

It's a picture of our nation over time!
Stealing such a source of knowledge, that's a crime!
Census data serves a purpose, tells us who we are
How we've changed and done so far!

When you count the mess you're making -- count this too
Once it's gone we can't replace it - count me blue
Just be sure you count the cost, and when the counting's through
Count me mad as hell ... with you!

Comments

[DH]

Let these people post all of their information on line and then I will agree. Otherwise to paraphrase Trudeau: the state has no business in the bedrooms of the community.

[Ba]

Awesome!

[anon]

In the words of Tony Clement: "It's important to free Cdns from this unwarranted intrusion & coercion!" If he truly believes this, then make paying taxes optional. See if they get the same reponse rate.

[nub]

These people clearly have no concept of privacy or limited government. It's very bizarre to see people insist on having government in their bedrooms. Government is already stealing my money by overtaxting me, printing money and messing with interest rates; last thing I need is getting its nose into my private life.

[geo]

Is there a short version?

[Derek Pearce]

This nonsense about "bedrooms of the nation": give me a break folks. Asking for the # of bedrooms in your house is NOT ANYWHERE near the same as asking what you do in those bedrooms. The level of paranoia from a few loud-squawking whackos over this, and the stupidity of the Tories for caving to this squawkery, is infuriating.

[ibivi]

Fences, Dunces, Klutzes,

When will Canadians wake up to the fact the Harper gang doesn't a hoot about the information that a census provides? They've made it quite clear that they will spend money on whatever they want (billions on jets, cutting funding for women's groups, millions on the G20, etc) . They don't need no stinkin' census, long or short!

[mr2you]

An utterly ridiculous waste of time that will be (should be) forgotten in about three weeks. Have I watched the video? No. Will I watch the video? And waste 2 minutes and 17 seconds of my life? Absolutely not.