Updated: Don't Let the Facts Get in the Way of a Bad Study
CTV is running a story about a new study that claims National child care favored over over the Conservatives plan for a $1200 a year payout.
Would you trust a study whose author has their facts this wrong? Would you trust child-care advocates who share the same 'view' of the facts? And finally, would you trust a news source that would publish these 'facts' as they where presented?
Update: I typed up this post yesterday but did not get a chance to publish it as I got busy. I noticed this morning that the story has now been modified to remove the $8 a week claim by Ms. Robinson. I think this proves the point even more that the people behind this study are willing to blatantly lie to us and the press is willing to print these lies as facts in order to advance their cause. This happens on many other issues as well. I guess thats why we are getting more editorials like this one: The credibility gap. Don't believe the hype indeed!
Most Canadians would prefer a national day-care program over a federal cash payout, says a new reported prepared by YWCA Canada -- the country's oldest women's organization.There are several parts to this story which should give you pause. Were the participants 100% unanimous in their endorsement of a national childcare program? What was the breakdown of support for and against? Where were these people chosen from? Were they chosen at random? There are very few facts in this story about the study. One of the few facts that they do report is this:
Four community task forces were set up in Halifax, Vancouver, Martensville, Sask., and Cambridge, Ont., to look at how child care could be strengthened.
All of the groups -- which consisted of about 20 to 30 parents, business people and local residents -- said they wanted integrated services and they wanted it publicly funded, said study director Jenny Robinson.
The plan has angered many child-care advocates, including Robinson, who said it will only amount to about $8 a week for a middle-income family once it is taxed.Did anyone even fact check this claim? It just jumped out as being factually incorrect. 8$ a week times 52 weeks gives you $416, a year out of the $1200 actually going to parents. This means that the average family is taxed at the rate of OVER 65% A YEAR!!! These numbers are blatently wrong and very misleading.
Would you trust a study whose author has their facts this wrong? Would you trust child-care advocates who share the same 'view' of the facts? And finally, would you trust a news source that would publish these 'facts' as they where presented?
Update: I typed up this post yesterday but did not get a chance to publish it as I got busy. I noticed this morning that the story has now been modified to remove the $8 a week claim by Ms. Robinson. I think this proves the point even more that the people behind this study are willing to blatantly lie to us and the press is willing to print these lies as facts in order to advance their cause. This happens on many other issues as well. I guess thats why we are getting more editorials like this one: The credibility gap. Don't believe the hype indeed!
posted by "Expert" Tom at 11:43 AM
15 Comments:
Perhaps some e-mails to CTV to ask that they do their homework and get all the facts out there - number one question I have - is the "study" done by the YWCA one that skews the results in their favor because they are going to see the possible reduction of funds if the Liberal plan is taken away.
Solution to the YWCA - make application under the conservative plan to create spaces!
Why would a gay cop, sailor, cowboy, construction worker, indian, and biker have any interest in daycare?
The study is chock-a-block with conflicts of interest, assumative statements of "Canadians want, etc.".
However, nowhere does it pretend to be a study of national opinion.
Of course, they have unanimity, the "expert" panels in all 4 cities were all biased, and as much as can be gleaned, so were all the interviewees - interest groups, clients of public day care, women's rights groups, etc.
I was starting to do a complete rebuttal in a post - may still do if no one else does.
http://joantintor.blogspot.com/2006/03/go-figure-government-day-care-workers.html
Of course, the only way to pressure the government is to inconvenience parents so they'll complain enough to government that it relents and uses (by and large) non-parents' money to pay for daycare. If the non-inconvenience of arriving one hour late doesn't work, they plan to start arriving two hours late -- until things become so non-inconvenient that the government caves.
Another thing I noticed is that there are stories in almost every news source about this study, but none of them really talk about the study. Basically the 'study' is an excuse for these lobbyist to rant and push there agenda without any real information being presented.
Actually Brian, it does pretend to be a study of national opinion:
"Most Canadians would prefer a national day-care program over a federal cash payout, says a new report prepared by YWCA Canada."
It clearly says "most Canadians", not "most pro-daycare study respondants"...
Exactly my point re who was involved in the study - the lefty socialists must be snickering in the back halls as the MSM regurgitate their spin.
Just another case of MSM taking at face value another poll, study, report, etc without asking questions or reporting the facts behind. And they are surprised because they are not high up on the trust scale?
The Caledon Institute, mindful of its reputation to maintain, confirm that the $1200./per child under six does indeed translate into $400./per child after taxation.
Apparently, according to Diane Finley, after parliament reconvenes ALL PARTIES have indicated they will approve the Tory Plan.
Convenient, isn't it? The Liberals delayed the child care deal and through it out there as an last ditch election carrot among others. The people didn't bite however.
Nor are they presently accepting this insult of $8.00/per week, yet all parties are apparently poised to deliver 'daycare on the cheap'.
It's about their jobs, not ours -- hard as it is to conceive.
Neither blogosphere, supposedly keeping tabs on the democratic pulse, and the MSM have overlooked child care advocates from across the country showing up in droves at Queens Park to call attention to the emergency situation whereby there are long waits on daycare lists. And the minority government to their shame is going to railroad this inadequate legislation through.
ANY GOVERNMENT WHICH FAILS TO ADDRESS CANADIAN FAMILIES' EMERGENCY SITUATIONS
SHOULD FORFEIT THEIR RIGHT TO GOVERN BASED ON THEIR INABILITY TO AGREE ON EVEN THE MOST BASIC OF SOCIETAL AND ECONOMIC ISSUES.
THE TORY CHILD CARE DEAL IS AN INSULT TO THE CANADIAN PUBLIC AT BEST AND DAYCARE FOR OUR CHILDREN 'ON THE CHEAP' AT ITS WORST.
Anony-mouse
How do you figure $1200 = $400 after taxes? Give me the formula because this just doesn't add up. I do not get taxed at 65% and I'm guessing no one else does either. If this did hold up to scrutiny, why did they pull this number from the story after a day?
The Tory plan is not an insult to me and my family, the Liberal childcare lottery was.
To be honest, I could care less about your job, your union, or your lobby. What I care about are my kids. I don't think you understand that the ones fighting against national institutional daycare in Canada are parents! We want the choice to decide who we want to look after our kids, and most of us feel that shouldn't be you!
A national day care program would be great, however, (and there is always a however), only 25% of Cnadians would ever have been able to use the original program anyway!!
When my kids were younger we couldn't afford to use any of these day care spaces, they would have been useless to us. Plus working the hours we did? No chance.
$1200 is a start, plus the CPC program will create spaces as well.
Advocates of the Liberal/NDP childcare program are, as far as I can figure out, selfish urbanites who think that they deserve a free ride on everyone else's dime. Nobody but urbanites would have access to this program but everyone would have to pay for it. Essentially the rural (who lack access) or stay-at-home parent (who choose to raise their kids full-time) subsidizing the households where both parents work. I don't think that it's a good plan at all - it sucks!! I think that at least the Tory plan provides some equity across the board for all parents to receive some help and just because certain parents feel entitled to their entitlements doesn't mean the rest of us should have to pay for it.
The study director Jenny Robinson is also described in the article as a "child-care advocate".
So much for an impartial, biased or accurate study.
"THE TORY CHILD CARE DEAL IS AN INSULT TO THE CANADIAN PUBLIC AT BEST AND DAYCARE FOR OUR CHILDREN 'ON THE CHEAP' AT ITS WORST."
Actually I'm more insulted I'm expected to make a strangers life easier with my money, what have they done to earn it? Other than procreate with the assumption their off-spring, and their happiness are my responsibilty?
I will gladly help pay for their vasectomy or tubal ligation.
One less socialist - priceless :)
Parents can't be trusted to raise their children, the average parent is just too stupid. The Liberals, the NDP and even the Bloc Quebecois know this - why are the Conservatives even considering giving parents a choice?
Well, it looks like Canadians are finally waking up to all this media manipulation anyway.
Thanks, "Expert" Tom, for that reference to the 'Credibility' article. Apparently even MSM is realizing that their shoddy practices are just not cutting it anymore.
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