Ottawa, October 25, 2004

Dear Miss Turner:

Thank you for your recent letter regarding the release of census data. I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with me on this matter. I am well aware of the importance of census data to genealogists, historians and others. I am pleased to be given the opportunity of providing you with our position.

The Conservative Party supports the preservation of census records and the subsequent transfer of these records to the National Archives for public release. We believe that keeping the records confidential for the historical 92-year period is an adequate length of time, and that this is generally consistent with the practice in Britain and the United States, where records are kept confidential for 100 and 72 years respectively.

Again, thank you for writing.

Sincerely,

Merv Tweed, MP Brandon-Souris

OTTAWA, October 12, 2004

Dear Mrs. Davidson:

Thank you for your recent letter regarding the release of census data. I appreciate your taking the time to share your thoughts with me on this matter. I am well aware of the importance of census data to genealogists, historians and others.

In the previous government, the Senate introduced Bill S-13, which the Conservative Senators supported, however, although the bill was debated, it was never voted on in the House of Commons.

I support the release of census data, and I can assure you that any legislation introduced in the House on this matter, will be given every consideration by my colleagues and I in the Conservative Party, to make sure its content is in the best interest of all concerned.

Again, thank you for writing,

Sincerely,

Merv Tweed, MP
Brandon-Souris

September 20, 2004

Mr. Gordon A. Watts
Co-chair, Canada Census Committee
1455 Delia Drive
Port Coquitlam BC V3C 2V9

Dear Mr. Watts

Thank you for your recent letter concerning the refusal to release Census records.

Mr. Tweed is aware of this situation and takes the matter very seriously. He does intend, when in Ottawa, to speak to the Conservative Caucus.

Thank you.

Sincerely;

Marilyn Lamb
Special Assistant to
Merv Tweed, MP for Brandon-Sopuris

From: "Muriel M. Davidson"
To: Merv Tween, MP
Sent: Sunday, September 19, 2004 1:37 PM
Subject: Sincerely Hope You Are Supportive of Census Release

To Mr. Merv Tweed, MP Brandon--Souris riding

[Your scoreboard symbol shows that you could have answered, but in fact, your campaign manager did -- so I will send the same memo as to all NEW Members of Parliament -- looking forward to an answer]

My last two evenings have been spent watching and listening to the Ontario Conservative Leader's Convention in Toronto -- my choice, John Tory, received the most votes.

You may have been told you only respond to people from your own riding -- whenever you vote, and whatever reply you give, you are acting on behalf of the people of Canada.

As a new Member of Parliament, possibly you are not aware we have been struggling to have the Canadian Post-1901 Census Records released to History and Archives Canada from the Chief Statistician -- this struggle has gone on since March 1999. To date, we received the 1906 census of three provinces five years late - 2003.

Your personal scoreboard is posted at

http://www.globalgenealogy.com/Census/Score2.htm#MB

You will note we use coloured symbols to denote agreement to release, and we sincerely hope your reply is a positive -- unrestricted access to 1911 and later census records.

The Conservative Party leaders are in full agreement that the records be released -- these hopefully might list names of many unidentified Home Children and also the 1911 census records before Canadians left for WWI, some of whom did not return.

Further information is available at the following:-

http://www.globalgenealogy.com/Census/index.htm
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~downhome/post1901census.htm

Looking forward to receiving a positive reply from you,

Muriel M. Davidson muriel_davidson@sympatico.ca
Co-Chair, Canada Census Committee
25 Crestview Avenue, Brampton, ON L6W 2R8

From: Barb Andrew
To: 'Muriel M. Davidson'
Cc: 'Gordon A. Watts'
Sent: Wednesday, September 08, 2004 8:11 PM
Subject: Unsatisfactory reply from Merv Tweed MP

Hi Muriel & Gordon,

I hope this finds you both enjoying the ending of the Summer that never happened. At least not here in Manitoba! I trust that the petitions I mailed off to you both arrived ok and please know that there are more out in circulation.

After numerous emails, letters and telephone calls I have at last had a reply from the rookie MP for Brandon-Souris. Well actually I have had one reply from his election campaign assistant back during the election that thanked me for my letter and promising to discuss the matter with Mr. Tweed, and today I received a reply for a letter that I had mailed to Mr. Tweed in Ottawa. The letter was written by his Special Assistant.

The Special Assistant to Merv Tweed , who works at his constituency office in Brandon, Manitoba has thanked me for my recent letter concerning Stats Can’s refusal to release Census records and assures me that that they have forwarded my letter to the appropriate department for response. She enclosed a letter from Mr. Tweed’s office to Statistical Reference Centre in Ottawa asking them to review this situation and correspond directly with me. Mr. Tweed obviously wishes to remain a fence sitter!

I really was hoping to be able to forward a YES from Mr. Tweed for the score board, but it would appear that is not going to happen any time soon. But I will make a point of letting him know my disappointment EVERY time I meet him here in Brandon.

Regards,

Barb Andrew
Brandon, Manitoba

29 August 2004

Mr. Merv Tweed
Member of Parliament
House of Commons
Parliament Buildings
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6

Dear Mr. Tweed

Congratulations on your recent election as a Member of Parliament. To have the trust and respect of those who voted for you is a great honour.

Members who have been re-elected will be aware of an issue affecting a great many Canadians that seek their personal ancestry through research of Historic Census records. Newly elected Members may not yet be aware of this issue.

It has been estimated that in excess of 7.5 million Canadians have an interest in genealogy and family history. These individuals seek to regain the same public access, with no added conditions or restrictions, to 92-year-old records of Census after 1906 that is currently available for 240 years of Census records up to that time. Access to Census records after 1906 is prevented at this time because of the (believed illegal) policy of a federal civil servant - Dr. Ivan P. Fellegi - Chief Statistician of Canada.

The Library and Archives of Canada Act (and it's predecessor) has designated to the Librarian and Archivist the authority to determine what records of government are of archival or historical value and that shall be deposited in the National Library and Archives. Librarian and Archivist Ian E. Wilson determined that schedules of Census have archival and historical value. He declared them to be a National Treasure. He requested the Chief Statistician to return care and control of the records in question to his authority. Dr. Fellegi denied that request.

The Access to Information and Privacy Acts, and Privacy Regulations, make specific provision for personal information collected through Census or Survey to be made available to any person or body for purposes of research, 92 years following collection. The legislation assumes these records to be under the care and control of the National Archivist.

By refusing to return care and control of the records in question to the Librarian and Archivist for subsequent public access the Chief Statistician has acted in deliberate contravention of the Library and Archives of Canada Act, the Access to Information Act, and the Privacy Act. He has usurped the authority of the Librarian and Archivist to determine what governmental records are of archival or historical value and that shall be deposited in the Library and Archives of Canada. In dictating policy instead of following policy determined through legislation passed by Parliament he has usurped the authority of that body.

Do you believe that any Federal bureaucrat, regardless of how highly placed or regarded, is above the Laws of Canada?

Do you believe that a civil servant has the power to dictate policy that contravenes legislation passed by the Parliament of Canada?

The Access to Information and Privacy Acts are complementary Acts born of the same Bill debated and passed by Parliament. Do you believe the parliamentarians who passed this legislation would knowingly include clauses in one Act, the effect of which would be to totally nullify clauses in the other?

If your answer to any of these questions is 'NO' we ask that you support our efforts to regain the same public access - with no added restrictions or conditions - to Historic Census records after 1906 that is currently available for 240 years of Census records up to that time. We seek nothing new. We seek only that which current legislation states we are entitled to - access that we have had in the past but is currently (believed illegally) withheld from us by the Chief Statistician of Canada.

We ask that you call upon the Government of Canada to immediately direct the Chief Statistician of Canada to obey the Laws of Canada. We ask that he be directed to return care and control of schedules of Historic Census to the Librarian and Archivist of Canada for subsequent public access in accordance with the Access to Information and Privacy Acts.

We ask further that you ensure continued public access to Historic Census records by seeking a government Bill that would add to the Statistics Act a single clause, similar to the following:

"Original schedules of Census or authentic copies thereof shall, not later than thirty (30) years following collection, be transferred to the care and control of the National Archivist for subsequent public access in accordance with provisions of the Access to Information and Privacy Acts, and Regulations attached thereto."

In reading my letter you may not feel any obligation to respond to someone living outside your electoral riding. The votes you cast in Parliament, however, affect all people living in Canada and in that respect your constituency is all of Canada. Considering this, even though I do not reside in your riding I would greatly appreciate your personal response to my letter.

Your response, stating your support (or otherwise) of the access we seek, will be posted to your Correspondence Log on the Post 1901 Census Project website. It will be available for viewing by your constituents on the MPs Scoreboard at www.globalgenealogy.com/Census

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter, and for your consideration of this very important issue.

Respectfully

Gordon A. Watts
Co-chair, Canada Census Committee