’Once again, sir, is your government TOTALLY crazy?’

The Canadian Press obtains census-related e-mails sent to the Prime Minister’s Office during the last week of July.

A Canadian Press analysis shows more than four-fifths of 293 email messages to Stephen Harper during a single week last summer were critical of the change. Seven per cent supported the government’s move, three per cent were neutral and nine per cent expressed no clear opinion...

Several who sent emails took issue with the notion the mandatory form was intrusive, calling the privacy argument a "bogeyman" and "balderdash." "I am a lifelong Conservative, a loyal and generous supporter and one of your staunchest advocates ... with extensive training in statistics and research methodology, I cannot understand why our Conservative government would decide to make elements of the census voluntary," wrote one dismayed correspondent.

Some worried it would prevent Harper’s team from ever winning a majority in Parliament. "You are losing sight of the big picture," wrote one.