Demography in Canada in the Twentieth Century

Henry G. MacLeod teaches sociology at both Trent University and the
University of Waterloo.

Sylvia Wargon describes her book as “a social and institutional
account of the evolution of demography [in Canada].” It is based on an
extensive review of both French- and English-language sources, and
supplemented by information from questionnaires and personal interviews
with scholars and practitioners.

Wargon’s first chapter provides a superb overview of the history of
demography. It is traced back to political arithmetic and the invention
of mortality tables in 17th-century Europe. In Canada, the story begins
with census-taking and ecclesiastical registers of vital statistics
(baptisms, marriages, and burials) in 17th-century New France, then
moves on to the creation of the Dominion Bureau of Statistics (DBS) in
1918 and the establishment of demography as a field of study in Canadian
universities in the 1960s. (The DBS was renamed Statistics Canada in
1971.) Subsequent chapters cover three time periods (pre-1950,
1950–70, and 1970–95) and focus on activities in DBS, initiatives by
federal and provincial governments, research in universities in French-
and English-speaking Canada and in private-sector agencies, and the rise
of demographic associations, journals, and conferences.

The author worked for Statistics Canada for more than three decades.
Her excellent book—the first comprehensive treatment of its
subject—makes a significant contribution to the study of demography.