| Name: | Mr. Dan McTeague |
| Political Party: | Liberal Party of Canada |
| Constituency: | Pickering--Ajax--Uxbridge |
| Province: | Ontario |
| Telephone: | (613) 995-8082 |
| Fax: | (613) 993-6587 |
| Email: | McTeague.D@parl.gc.ca or mctead0@parl.gc.ca |
| Website: | http://www.McTeague.ca |
| Address: | House of Commons, Ottawa K1A OA6 |
| Constituency Address: | 6758 Kingston Road - Suite 3 Scarborough, Ontario M1B 1G8 Tel: 416.287.0110 Fax: 416.287.6160 Dan@McTeague.ca |
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05/28/2001 - email to MP Dan McTeague from Muriel M. Davidson. From: Muriel M. Davidson Sent: Monday, May 28, 2001 9:35 PM To: McTeague.D@parl.gc.ca; mctead0@parl.gc.ca Subject: Question: Do You Still Support Senator Lorna Milne? To Mr. Dan McTeague, MP:- I checked your file on the Census Scoreboard at http://www.globalgenealogy.com/Census/Score3.htm#ONT There seems to be an error -- but Global Genealogy had to install a new server, letters had to be capitalized, and you end up with a Blue ??? on the Scoreboard and a GOLD tick on your message board. I read the message and it seemed you were in favour of Senator Lorna Milne's S-15 -- and she would be following the same lines. However, at present, Murray Calder has Bill C-312, which has yet to be deemed votable but with much support AND Senator Milne has Bill S-12 with identical wording. We have personal pages at http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Farm/7843/poll.html Wording of Murray Calder's Bill C-312 is there. Could you or your staff member forward a note by email stating you are still supportive of Senator Milne? --- And of course, Murray Calder? Muriel M. Davidson Co-Chair, Canada Census Committee Brampton, Ontario 04/06/2000 - E-mail sent to Laurie Patterson from the office of MP Dan McTeague
To: lauriep@netrover.com Sent: Friday, April 07, 2000 16:47 Subject: Access to 1911 Census Data Dear Mr. Patterson: In response to your inquiry concerning Mr. McTeague's position on the release of 1911 Census data, I would like to provide you with the following information. To begin with, the decision Mr. McTeague is awaiting, as referenced in a previous e-mail to you, is that of recommendations from the Expert Panel on Access to Historical Census Records and the response to those recommendations by the Hon. John Manley, Minister of Industry, in his capacity as minister responsible for Statistics Canada. The Expert Panel was created by Minister Manley to address the growing concerns expressed by a number of Canadians, such as yourself, to the issue of releasing the 1911 Census data. I am enclosing for your perusal information from the Minister's office announcing the establishment of the Expert Panel and its terms of reference. The Expert Panel has been asked to make its recommendations to the Minister by May 31, 2000. Moreover, it is hoped that they will be able to indicate "an approach which seeks to balance the need to protect personal privacy with the demands of genealogists and historians for access to historical census records". In addition, Mr. McTeague has obtained information from his colleague, Senator Lorna Milne, with respect to her Private Senator's Bill S-15. Given that the United States allows census data to be accessed after 72 years, and after 100 years in the United Kingdom, there should be some avenue provided for Canadians to permit Canadians similar access. However, the 1918 Statistics Act of the Borden Government contained a clause, 15(1) to be precise, that closed down any access to individual census returns except by the person who actually supplied it. This appears to be somewhat harsh given what is permitted in the U.S. and U.K. Perhaps the Borden Government really did not give much thought as to what this clause would mean well into the future. Nonetheless, the prohibition is still on the books and has led to the current problem. If the Expert Panel cannot find an adequate resolution to the matter, I wish to advise you that Mr. McTeague would favour supporting Senator Milne's proposal that census data be released to the public - in keeping with the 92 year rule that had governed the release of census data up to 1901. I trust the above answers your questions on this matter. In addition, I regret any delay or lack of qualified response you have received from our office. Should you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact me personally as Mr. McTeague has requested I take over this file. My e-mail address is: mctead0@parl.gc.ca Yours sincerely, Glenn D. Bradbury Parliamentary Assistant Encls. TERMS OF REFERENCE of the Expert Panel on Access to Historical Census Records The inability to access individual census returns for censuses taken after 1901 has generated considerable public debate and interest over the past several years on the part of genealogists, historians and archivists. Canada's census records up to and including the 1901 Census are publicly available through the National Archives of Canada. The legislation authorizing these censuses did not contain confidentiality protections having the force of law. In accordance with the regulations under the Privacy Act these historical censuses were released to the National Archives 92 years after the collection date and made available to the public. Access to these early census records has permitted the analysis of past personal and community histories by genealogists and historians. The Privacy Act, however, also stipulates that where other acts provide specific protection to personal records, the provisions of such other acts must prevail. It is this provision which, according to a legal opinion received by Statistics Canada prevents the release of the post-1901 Census micro records. In fact, the 1911 and later censuses were taken under a legally valid guarantee that the information would not be shown to any other person. Moreover, these legislative stipulations have no time limitation. The Expert Panel is asked to report to the Minister Responsible for Statistics Canada, the Honourable John Manley by May 31, 2000 regarding the legal, privacy and archival implications of providing access to historical census records. It is asked to examine the following issues:
On the other hand, the public release of census information some 92 years after collection would allow historians, researchers and genealogists to shed light on personal and community histories of Canadians. The National Archivist has declared that Canada's census is a national treasure which must be preserved. It may well be that Canadians' sense of privacy would not be threatened by the imposition of time limits on the promise of confidentiality protection.
Finally having considered the issues and options, the Panel is asked to recommend an approach which seeks an appropriate balance between the need to protect personal privacy and the demands of genealogists and historians for access to historical census records. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 12, 1999 Minister Manley Announces Members of the Expert Panel on Access to Historical Census Records Ottawa -- John Manley, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Statistics Canada, today announced the appointment of members to the Expert Panel on Access to Historical Census Records. The Panel will provide independent, expert advice on the legal, privacy and archival implications of releasing historical census records. "The members of the Expert Panel are highly regarded Canadians who have been appointed on the basis of individual merit and are well known for their expertise and long-term interest in historical research and privacy issues" said Minister Manley. The five-member Expert Panel will be chaired by Dr. Richard Van Loon, President of Carleton University in Ottawa. The members will participate in the work of the Panel in their personal capacity and not as representatives of groups or organizations. The Expert Panel on Access to Historical Census Records has been asked to recommend by May 31, 2000, an approach which seeks to balance the need to protect personal privacy with the demands of genealogists and historians for access to historical census records: by examining the elements of the difference of opinions between Canadians who would seek to maintain the protection of personal information, and those who would like to examine personal or community histories; and by determining what options exist to provide access to historical census records. The members of the Expert Panel are: Richard Van Loon, President, Carleton University; Chad Gaffield, Director, Institute of Canadian Studies and Professor of History, University of Ottawa; The Honourable Gérard La Forest, retired Supreme Court Justice; The Honourable Lorna Marsden, President and Vice-Chancellor, York University; John McCamus, Professor of Law, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University. To find out more about the Expert Panel on Access to Historical Census Records, please visit the web site at www.statcan.ca For further information, please contact: Jennifer Sloan Press Secretary Office of the Minister of Industry (613) 995-0001 Pamela White Secretariat Expert Panel on Access to Historical Census Records
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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