OTTAWA – After popular demand from millennials who think the census just isn’t fun enough, the Canadian government has decided to conduct the 2021 census as a Buzzfeed quiz.
Statistics Canada believes releasing the census as a quiz could drum up support for this statistics-gathering tool amongst younger Canadians. Says Statistics Canada spokesperson Gretchen Small, “Many Millennials were excited to receive their long-form censuses at first, but then became disappointed when it didn’t tell them which character from Game of Thrones they would be.”
Asked for comment, Megan Chua, a 26-year-old social media marketer, described the census as “the most boring personality quiz” she’d ever done. “It asked all these questions about whether I produce agricultural products, and if I provide unpaid care to any seniors. Why didn’t they ask me which emoji I would text my boyfriend when I’m upset? Or which character from Friends I’d most like to go on a romantic vacation to Bali with?”
To make the long-form census more engaging in the future, Statistics Canada plans to partner with Buzzfeed to bring the census process into the 21st century. In addition to asking Canadians questions like their age and address, Future censuses will include sections titled, “Are You More Anglophone Or Francophone?” and “Which Chronic Illness Are You?” Census makers are also designing a section titled “Is Jason Your Common-Law Spouse or Just Your Roommate?”
At press time, the Canadian Government was also considering awarding all future government contracts on CBC’s Dragons’ Den.
With Files from Emma Overton and James Bunting
