Kelly McParland, The National Post,  July 13, 2010

Tony Clement must have thought he was looking at an easy summer, what with the G8 being over with, and such a resounding success too.

He’d managed to snag millions of dollars in government cash for his riding. He’d made that swell video promoting some firm in his riding that was looking for business in China (no other Canadian companies, just the one.) And he signed off on some unimportant change to the census — something about long forms, dead boring stuff, not anything people would ever notice.

All he had to do was put his feet up and wait until fall, when the onerous life of an MP starts again.

So what happens? Turns out there’s a bunch of people out there who actually take this census business seriously, and they’ve all got their shorts in a knot.

This keeps happening to the Tories. They figure no one will get upset if they prorogue Parliament for a while, because no one even knows what “prorogation” means. Sounds like a hair cream or something. They diss the arts, because only weenies go to theatre and concerts and stuff.  They plot a clever trick to deprive the opposition of public funding, figuring it’s not like anyone cares.

Then it turns out Canadians aren’t as apathetic as Conservatives assume, and the Tories have to try some fancy footwork to save their butts from getting barbecued.

Clement was so certain he could slip through the census thing without creating a fuss that he didn’t even bother consulting before making the change. Why should he? He’s the minister, he can do what he wants. And besides, it’s just a dumb census … what’s anyone need with all those  numbers anyway? He agreed to end the stipulation that made it mandatory for some Canadians to fill in the long version of the document, substituting a voluntary regime in its place. Same numbers, right? Who’s going to notice?

Now he’s got a revolt on his hands. Turns out tons of people noticed. And they think it’s a stupid, short-sighted change that accomplishes little while annoying many. He’s got the Canadian Economics Association on his case, complaining that the change “will damage Statistics Canada’s currently outstanding reputation inside and outside of Canada and will leave Canada with a Census that is significantly less useful than those of the countries.”

He’s got a lengthy list of important-sounding professional organizations, municipalities and business groups arguing that the change is short-sighted and self-defeating.  Even the Toronto Board of Trade and ubereconomist Don Drummond are urging him to drop the plan.

Hmm, so let’s see. Business groups think it’s a dumb idea. Trade groups think it’s a dumb idea. Marketing groups think it’s a dumb idea. Just about everyone involved in promoting the economy thinks it’s a dumb idea.

Is there anyone out there who thinks it’s a good idea?

Oh yeah. Tony does.