1. Getting the Whole Picture
Using Numbers to Enhance Your Stories

2. Why Use Numbers? Provide evidence
Can be used to complement your investigation
Can provide a critical view of opposing arguments

3. Sources of Numbers (Data)
Statistics Canada
Universities’ Data Centres
Libraries
Other Government Departments
Polling Companies
…..

4. Kinds of Data Aggregate Microdata already tabulated
eg. Everything we’ll look at today
Microdata
raw numbers
need a statistical package
eg. surveys and polling data

5. 3 Easy-to-Use Data Sources
1996 Census Community Profiles
CANSIM
Health Statistics at a Glance
all come from Statistics Canada
all available via the web
none require specialized knowledge

6. 1996 Census Community Profiles (CEPS. statcan
1996 Census Community Profiles (CEPS.statcan.ca/english/profil/PlaceSearchForm1.cfm)
Provide basic data on Canadian communities
Data are, for the most part, at the municipal level
Covers only a part of the total Census questions
Can use it to make maps (crude)

7. Community Information from Statistics Canada
Using StatCan’s Community Profiles

18. Using CANSIM on the Web (datacentre.chass.utoronto.ca/cansim/)
Statistics Canada’s premier database
Over 800,000 time series (trends)
Housed at the University of Toronto
Part of the Data Liberation Initiative
Restricted to faculty, staff and students
Academic use only

19. Using StatCan’s Time-Series Data Base to Look at Trends in Canadian Social and Economic Life

27. Health Statistics at a Glance (www.carleton.ca/~ssdata/dataweb.html)
More from the Data Liberation Initiative
Gives basic statistics on births, deaths, etc.
Uses the Beyond 20/20 Data Browser
can download it from the site
Housed at the University of Ottawa
Same restrictions as CANSIM