Thread by @parkinac

I like to think I don't rant too often, but I have a short one to share on this article -- it's really a rant about journalism and data literacy ==> Goodbye Toronto, hello Winnipeg: Are Canada’s young giving up their big city dreams? - The Globe and Mail
theglobeandmail.com/investing/pers…

My issue is that I have no idea why the article insists that "more data are needed to conclude that millennials are giving up on their big city dreams"

Because: isn't there a census every five years? And isn't all the data available online?
www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recense…
www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recense…

I did a quick check for Ontario: between 2006 and 2016 and % of Millennials living in the province's big cities grew from 62% to 65%. More are living in big cities. Thus, not giving up on big city dreams, on the whole.

Millennials are like everyone else - more are living in big cities. See: mowatcentre.ca/a-different-on…

My favourite part though is having noted a couple of times that there is no good data available, the article eventually starts talking about the "trend" -- wait, I thought we were in the dark; but now we know it is a trend? How?

I have nothing against the focus of the story on affordability, and nothing against the featured anecdotes. Interesting story. But good journalism = knowing how to look up @StatCan_eng tables = knowing what constitutes a trend as opposed to a couple of people.

@StatCan_eng And yes, I know the story has a national focus and that I only cite Ontario data (@MowatCentre occupational hazard). Maybe the story is different in other places. The data is there for anyone to check. I am not saying the story is wrong, necessarily.

@StatCan_eng @MowatCentre But as I said the other day (sort of), what's the point of campaigning for a long-form census if we're just going to keep guessing about demographic trends anyway?

@StatCan_eng @MowatCentre That's it. Quite a rant for me. Sorry. I like data. And turkey curry, which I am going to go eat more of now.