| Name: | Mr. Joe Comuzzi |
| Political Party: | Liberal Party of Canada |
| Constituency: | Thunder Bay--Nipigon |
| Province: | Ontario |
| Telephone: | (613) 996-4792 |
| Fax: | (613) 996-9785 |
| Email: | Comuzzi.J@parl.gc.ca |
| Address: | House of Commons, Ottawa K1A OA6 |
| Constituency Address: | 4 - 215 Van Norman Thunder Bay, Ontario P7A 4B6 |
10/07/2002 - email to MP joe Comuzzi from Gordon A. Watts.
To: MP Comuzzi Sent: Monday, October 07, 2002 11:44 AM Subject: Post 1901 Census legislation Dear Mr. Comuzzi At long last there has been a public acknowledgement by the Government of Canada that they have an interest in the concerns of Canadians, and others, that seek continuing access to Post-1901 Census records. That acknowledgement took the form of inclusion of a statement in an address of the Hon. Don Boudria, Minister of State and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. The address was made to the Newsmakers Breakfast at the National Press Club, 3 October 2002. It was titled "The Government's Fall Legislative Program". On page four of Mr. Boudria's notes for that address, he states: "Other legislation will also be introduced respecting: The release of 92-year old census records for historical research purposes - which responds to recommendations and work done by parliamentarians in the House and Senate such as MP Calder and Senator Milne;" This acknowledgement of our concerns, on behalf of the government, is welcome news. It does not yet mean, however, that continued public access of Historic Census records has been approved and those records are now available to access for purposes of research. The proposed legislation has not yet been brought down, and it remains to be seen if, when it is brought down, it meets the needs and expectations of those seeking access. Senator Lorna Milne continues to work with the Hon. Allan Rock, Minister of Industry, to ensure that the end result does meet those needs and expectations. I remind you that what we seek is exactly the same unrestricted access to records after 1901 that is currently available for those records up to and including 1901. I currently show you on the MPs Scoreboard of the Post 1901 Census Project website (at the URL following my signature) as "sitting on the fence". You have been given this position by virtue of the fact that you have yet to give a definitive response stating your support, or otherwise, for public access to Historic Census records, 92 years after collection. (Or, at least, that I have seen no such response.) In view of the fact that the Government has now stated it's intention to introduce legislation that will hopefully address our concerns, will you now give a definitive response stating your supportive position for such legislation? I am not one of your constituents, but in writing to you I believe that I speak on behalf of a great many others who are your constituents. As such, I hope that you will afford me the courtesy of a response to this message. In responding to my message with a supportive answer to my question, so that it might be posted to your correspondence log, you would likely save yourself a great many similar requests by others. Thank you for taking the time to read my message, and for responding thereto. Have a great day! Sincerely Gordon A. Watts gordon_watts@telus.net Co-Chair, Canada Census Committee 1455 Delia Drive Port Coquitlam, BC V3C 2V9 09/20/2002 - email to MP Joe Comuzzi from Frank McKerry.
To: Joe Comuzzi, MP Sent: Friday, September 20, 2002 2:48 PM Subject: Post 1901 Census Mr. Joe Comuzzi, M.P. Thunder Bay-Nipigon: It is noted on the Post 1901 web site that you are on the fence (undecided) on how you are going to vote for this Bill when it comes back to the floor of the House. Have you contacted any of your constituents on this matter ? The people who elected you to represent them in the House ? Many of your constituents are eagerly awaiting the release of the 1906 and 1911 Census and are trying to get family information to complete their family tree and ancestry links. I am not one of your constituents, but I am doing research for family in your riding and your YES vote will assist me in my search. Would you please change you Undecided mark to a YES vote on the 1906 and the 1911 Census release to the Archives Canada ? Respectfully M. Frank McKERRY, C.D. Vernon, B.C. 02/17/2001 - email from Patricia Corney to MP Joseph Comuzzi.
To: Sent: Saturday, February 17, 2001 5:34 AM Subject: POST-1901 CENSUS TO: Joseph Comuzzi, M.P. I have read your reply to Ms. Davidson regarding the release of Post 1901 Census. I am the American daughter of a Canadian father and the granddaughter and great niece of British Home Children. Are you aware that 100,000 children were transported to Canada from 1800's to as late as 1946? Are you aware that there are approximately 3 million decendents of these children? That many people do not know they are decended from British Home Children. I did not know about my grandmother and great niece until after my father died in 1999 and I began researching my family tree. How can these children be found and claimed by their decendents, if the information is not available? After 92 to 100 years do you really think the people who filled in the census would care if the information is released? I know I will not care. The information is out of date. If you do not release the information how can I found the remaining relatives that were in Canada in 1901 and their names do not appear on your archives? The United States has released every 92 years and no one here complains. Yes it is supposed to be private, but we all understand to find our roots, this information must be released. One study is sufficient. Dragging feet will not make Canadians happy, or people in Europe happy and definately will not make US genealogists happy. Sincerely Patricia Corney Quakertown, PA USA Granddaughter of Elsie Eliza A. BERRY, BHC-1909 Great Niece of Rose Lucy E. BERRY, BHC-1908 IOWFHS #1334 02/16/2001 - email from Gordon A. Watts to MP Joe Commuzzi.
Thunder Bay-Superior North Dear Mr. Comuzzi. On 6 February 2001 you sent a letter to Muriel M. Davidson, the text of which I copy below. Mrs. Davidson and I are among the leaders of the campaign on the Internet seeking to regain public access to Historic Census, 92 years after collection, as per Regulation 6(d) attached to the Privacy Act. As such, I must respectfully express our disappointment in your lack of response to the question of whether you would or would not support a Bill that would allow that access. Like many politicians, you have managed to sidestep entirely the issue raised. You make reference to the Report of the Expert Panel on Access to Historic Census records. Have you, in fact, taken time to study that Report? I urge you to do so. Your mention that they advised "some caution regarding any legislative steps that might be thought necessary to effect the release of those census records for the period 1921 to 2001." completely ignores the fact that they also stated "The Panel recommends that the government commit itself to the public release of census information arising from the censuses held from 1921 onwards and determine what, if any, legislative steps might be required to do so." The "caution" mentioned was in reference to their recommendation that any legislative change felt required should be made to the National Archives Act rather than to the Statistics Act. I quite frankly doubt that Industry Minister Brian Tobin has read the Report of the Expert Panel, but is taking his direction on this issue from Chief Statistician Ivan Fellegi who obviously opposes access to Historic Census. I suspect that Dr. Fellegi composed the 15 December 2001 press release of Brian Tobin. It used the same phrases used by Statistics Canada for at least the past three years. The Expert Panel, in its deliberations, studied over 2,500 letters, email, and faxes, sent to the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada, the Chief Statistician and Members of Parliament prior to the announcement of the Expert Panel. During the seven month duration of the Panel a further 1,055 letters were received in addition to 95 submissions from historical, archival and genealogical associations as well as other interested Canadians. An educated guess would place the number of signatures on petitions to the House of Commons and the Senate seeking access to Historic Census at about 15,000. Petitions to both Houses of Parliament continue to be received on a daily basis. On the other hand, those that are opposed to public access of Historic Census Records can be counted on the fingers of one hand, two at the most. Unfortunately, those few are politicians and bureaucrats that are in positions having the power to prevent access. The public have clearly stated that they want public access to Historic Census. Your constituents wish to know YOUR position on this issue, not the position of the Chief Statistician. Kindly answer the question of whether you will, or will not, support public access to Historic Census Records, 92 years after collection, as per Regulations attached to the Privacy Act. Thank you. Respectfully, Gordon A. WATTS Canada Census Committee 1455 Delia Drive, Port Coquitlam, BC, V3C 2V9 02/06/2001 - letter from MP Joseph Comuzzi to Muriel M. Davidson.
Muriel Davidson Canada Census Committee Brampton, On Dear Ms. Davidson: I appreciate your concerns regarding access to Canada Census records after 1901. As you no doubt already know, the Report from the Expert Panel on Access to Historical Census Records recommended post-1901 Census data should be made available to the public after a period of 92 years from the year the Census was taken. However, the panel also advised "some caution regarding any legislative steps that might be thought necessary to effect the release of those census records for the period 1921 to 2001." For this and other reasons, the Hon. Brian Tobin, Minister of Industry and Minister Responsible for Statistics Canada, indicated on December 15th that further broad-based consultation with all Canadians is needed. Minister Tobin indicated that the issues at stake are complex and sweeping. He said the government is committed to protecting the privacy rights of Canadians who were given an assurance of confidentiality at the time they completed the 1911 Census. However, the government must also consider the legitimate needs of genealogists and others for access to historical census records. In light of these concerns Minister Tobin has decided that further consultation will take place as part of the administrative and legislative review of the Access to Information and the Privacy Acts. For further information, please contact Heidi Bonnell, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Industry at (613) 995-9001. Yours truly, Joe Comuzzi, M.P. Thunder Bay-Superior North 04/30/99- e-mail from The Global Gazette to MP
A web site has been posted at http://globalgenealogy.com/census to record MP's responses, so that those who are interested, will know the position that their elected representative has (or has not expressed) on the issue. Also included on the web site, is a correspondence log for each Member of Parliament, which will contain responses to this e-mail plus any other correspondence from the MP. The Question: "Would you, as an elected Member of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Canada, vote FOR or AGAINST a Bill supporting release to the Public, of Post 1901 Census Records, 92 years after they were recorded. ( 1911 census information available in 2003, 1921 in 2013 etc)" If you would like to expand on your position, your entire response will be posted to your individual correspondence log. The Post 1901 Census web site is sponsored by Global Genealogy & History Bookstore. A vast number of e-mails and calls from subscribers and web site visitors, clearly demonstrates that this issue is extremely important to them. Many readers have expressed that their current MP's position on this issue will weigh heavily in their decision process during the next election. |
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