Statistics Canada Outsources Portions of the National Census To Lockheed Martin.

A Saskatoon woman on trial for refusing to fill out the 2006 census insists she should not have to provide information that she fears might be stolen or used by a company that supplies weapons to the American military. Sandra Finley, 51, is charged under Canada's Statistics Act with refusing to answer the census questions.

Link to news source

Sandra Finley, a 51 year old woman from Saskatoon Sk (in my backyard) has been charged under Canada's Statistics Act with failure to answer census questions. She is arguing that she needn't comply with the regulations on the grounds that some of the census data has been outsourced to Lockheed Martin


The Canada Statistics Act carries a fine of $1000.00 or six months in jail for failure to answer census questions.

Refusal to grant access to records 32. Every person (a) who, having the custody or charge of any documents or records that are maintained in any department or in any municipal office, corporation, business or organization, from which information sought in respect of the objects of this Act can be obtained or that would aid in the completion or correction of the information, refuses or neglects to grant access to the information to any person authorized for the purpose by the Chief Statistician, or (b) who otherwise in any way wilfully obstructs or seeks to obstruct any person employed in the execution of any duty under this Act is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to both. 1970-71-72, c. 15, s. 30.

Canada Statistics Act

Additionally, the Act has a clause allowing for the sharing of census information:

Sharing of information 12. (1) The Minister may enter into an agreement with any department or municipal or other corporation for the sharing of information collected from a respondent by either Statistics Canada or the department or corporation on behalf of both of them and for the subsequent tabulation or publication based on that information

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I cannot say that I've had the opportunity to read the entire Statistics Act (it's not long) but these two clauses jumped out at me.

I have an unsubstantiated report that the Lockheed corporation was commissioned to develop the forms and most likely the data collection and security system, however I have no source to offer for this.

On her website, Finley offer the following:

I object strenuously to the out-sourcing of the Canadian Census to this corporation. I will not be complicit in the enrichment of Lockheed Martin. Originally they were to receive more than $20 million dollars for work on the Census. In 2004 the Government of Canada awarded a contract for Lockheed Martin to look after the health records of the Canadian military. That contract was potentially worth $56 million dollars. I don't know the final amounts paid to Lockheed. I do not know what other contracts they have with the Government of Canada. I don't believe they would be in Canada except for the money they get from Canadian tax-payors (me).

link

Interested to hear thoughts

kind regards, Tamale.

reply to post by Tamale_214

I looked up your post. This topic has been back in the news, with the discharge of Sandra Martin this past week. I love census information myself, because I'm a genealogist, and I use the info, of years ago for research. However, I'm against the contracting out of our Census to Lockheed Martin. I would like to know how we can change this, keep the census within our own country/government systems.

Here is a link to further info:
www.globalresearch.ca...

As a result of NAFTA, the creation of the hardware and software for the Canadian census is contracted to the Canadian subsidiary of the US armament company Lockheed Martin. (Lockheed Martin (Canada) inherits technology from the US Parent, Lockheed Martin, who first developed census software for the 2000 U.S. Census.)

As a result of the USA Patriot Act and the USA Homeland Security Act, all US companies and their subsidiaries wherever they are located are required on demand (on pain of heavy penalty for refusal), to release to the US Homeland Security all data held. No foreign law (i.e., Canadian) overrides the application of the USA statutes in the USA.

reply to post by Tamale_214


Thanks for the info Tamale. S&F&

...Lockheed Martin huh? Gotta love those corporate partnerships. (Not.)

reply to post by soficrow

So what do you think of this Canadian?
Census Activist Receives Discharge
www.thestarphoenix.com...
Quote:
A Saskatoon woman found guilty of refusing to fill in the long-form census in 2006 has been granted an absolute discharge.

Sandra Finley, 61, "is clearly a person of good character who refused to fill in the form on the basis of principle," Judge Sheila Whelan said Thursday in provincial court.

While privacy was the basis of the legal challenge, Finley has always been frank about the fact her unwillingness to participate was largely to protest business conducted by Ottawa with Lockheed Martin Canada.

Read more: www.thestarphoenix.com...



Read more: www.thestarphoenix.com...

Originally posted by ripriprip
reply to post by Tamale_214

 

I looked up your post. This topic has been back in the news, with the discharge of Sandra Martin this past week. I love census information myself, because I'm a genealogist, and I use the info, of years ago for research. However, I'm against the contracting out of our Census to Lockheed Martin. I would like to know how we can change this, keep the census within our own country/government systems.

Here is a link to further info:
www.globalresearch.ca...

As a result of NAFTA, the creation of the hardware and software for the Canadian census is contracted to the Canadian subsidiary of the US armament company Lockheed Martin. (Lockheed Martin (Canada) inherits technology from the US Parent, Lockheed Martin, who first developed census software for the 2000 U.S. Census.)

As a result of the USA Patriot Act and the USA Homeland Security Act, all US companies and their subsidiaries wherever they are located are required on demand (on pain of heavy penalty for refusal), to release to the US Homeland Security all data held. No foreign law (i.e., Canadian) overrides the application of the USA statutes in the USA.

Excellent point ripriprip...a star for you! It's time for the Canadian government to stop outsourcing our citizens' personal data to foreign companies...medicare, census, what next eh?

reply to post by ItsEvolutionBaby


A bit more info.

In a 40-page ruling issued on Thursday, Saskatchewan Provincial court Judge S.P. Whelan convicted the 61 year old “natural libertarian” of a 2008 federal charge under Section 31 of the Statistics Act. Her crime: she had steadfastly refused to be bullied into completing the (now defunct) census long form in 2006 on the grounds that it violated her privacy and was in large part being administered by the war-profiteering darling of the corporate state, Lockheed Martin.

... after the verdict was handed down Ms Finley made a statement from Saskatoon saying in part:

“Comprehensive files on citizens are a characteristic of fascist, militaristic states. In a democratic and free society, the state does not maintain detailed records on citizens … people have fought hard, and in some cases given their lives, so that we can have a properly functioning democracy.”

YEAH Sandra Finley!

reply to post by soficrow

Thanks for the additional info, Soficrow.
Unfortunately the media is having a hay day twisting her reasoning to play into the prime minister's hands. Her valid reasoning is because of privacy issues with Lockheed Martin - and I believe we can all understand why no one Canadian would want their personal info in the hands of an American corporation.
You mean there is no one Canadian company that could fulfil the task?
The pm however wants to make the census' long form optional, and groups are upset because those are demographics needed when forming and shaping programs and services. Easier to make cuts.

We're all proud of Sandra for taking a stand for what she believes in.

reply to post by ItsEvolutionBaby

we can all understand why no one Canadian would want their personal info in the hands of an American corporation.

Especially when US corporations are bound by law to turn that info over to any alphabet agency that wants a little peek.

You mean there is no one Canadian company that could fulfil the task?

Seems to be written into NAFTA - US companies might not get dibs, but they MUST be allowed to bid in a competitive tender. ...Lots of shenanigans methinks. The Boys Club knows no borders.