From 1666 to Confederation in 1867, almost 100 regional and
colonial censuses(1) were conducted. Individuals answered a
variety of questions, including those about housing, livestock,
crops, buildings, armaments owned, churches, etc. Questions
related to the raising of taxes or armies, and the assessment of
resources, could also be asked. The 1871 Census was the first
such undertaking after Confederation, and was part of the
provisions of the British North America Act. The primary purpose
of the 1871 Census was to determine parliamentary representation
based on population. The new constitution called for this
assessment to occur every 10 years. The 1871 Census also
differed from pre-Confederation censuses in the greater number
of questions asked (211) and the detail of information
collected; for example, for the first time people were asked
their "ancestral origins." However, it should be noted that not
every individual was required to answer every question. With the
proclamation of Census Day on March 31, 19