Coming to Our Census: The Need for Continued Inquiry Into Canadians' Ethnic Origins‪.‬

ABSTRACT/RESUME The study of ethnic origin continues to be the object of criticism from two groups: those who do not feel it is salient and therefore urge governments not to inquire into it, and those who believe that, when relevant, ethnic attachment represents a threat to Canadian identity, thus government should discourage such sentiment. This paradox is reflected in the ongoing debate over whether Statistics Canada should include a census question on ethnic origins. Empirical evidence reveals that ethnicity is relevant to many Canadians. Measuring identity is complex, and examining the impact of ethnic attachments presents several challenges. Research on ethnic ancestry and identity is, however, socially relevant and, when employed in conjunction with other identity markers via the census or surveys, can yield information valuable to policy makers. Despite the increase in "Canadian" responses to the ethnic origin question, persons of backgrounds other than British or French have not given this answer to a substantial degree. Observers believe that greater numbers of these responses thickens citizenship ties, thereby strengthening Canadian identity. Yet too strong a linkage between ethnic and national identity risks inviting precisely the opposite result by creating polarization between, in this instance, those reporting that they are ethnically "Canadian" and the "Others."