| Name: | Mr. Robert Thibault |
| Political Party: | Liberal |
| Constituency: | West Nova |
| Province: | Nova Scotia |
| Telephone: | (613) 995-5711 |
| Fax: | (613) 996-9857 |
| Email: | Thibault.R@parl.gc.ca |
| Address: | House of Commons, Ottawa K1A OA6 |
| Constituency Address: | 3 Lovitt Street Suite 101 Yarmouth, Nova Scotia B5A 3C1 |
11/27/2001 - email from MP Robert Thibaut to Ms. Croshaw. This message takes Mr. Thibault off the fence and awards him his gold tick.
To: Ms. Croshaw Sent: Tuesday, November 27, 2001 12:15 PM Subject: Reply from Hon Robert Thibault Dear Ms. Croshaw: Thank you for your electronic message of October 13, 2001 indicating your interest in continued public access to census records. I agree that it is important to know who we are and where we come from. I am also convinced that the information contained in census records will remain accessible to the public. Again, thank you for bringing this matter to my attention. Yours truly, (signed Robert) Robert G. Thibault 07/31/2001 - email from MP Robert Thibault to Muriel M. Davidson. July 31, 2001 Dear Ms. Davidson:- Thank you for your correspondence dated May 15 and May 18, 2001 regarding the current Bills that are being considered concerning the release of Post-1901 Census Records. As the Member of Parliament for West Nova, I believe that the issues at stake are complex and far reaching. The Government of Canada is committed to protecting the privacy of Canadians who were given an assurance of confidentiality at the time they completed the 1911 Census while, at the same time, giving proper consideration to the legitimate needs of genealogists and others, such as yourself, for access to historical census records. I am of the opinion that further consultation with a broad and diverse cross-section of all Canadians, which has been implemented by the Ministry of Industry, the Hon. Brian Tobin, is extremely important in order to establish the most appropriate and fair course of action concerning Bill C-312. The issue is extremely complicated and the Government of Canada is committed to seeing that all views and concerns are taken into serious consideration before a decision is made. I can easily identify with the complexity of making such influential recommendations as those regarding the release of Post-1901 Census records. Once again, thank you for bringing your views on this matter to my attention. Yours truly, Robert G. Thibault
To: Robert Thibault, MP; Roger Cuzner, MP Sent: Sunday, June 17, 2001 5:08 PM Subject: I Would Like Support in MY Home Province To Robert Thibault, MP and Roger Cuzner, MP:- I know both of you were only elected last November 27, in an election the country did not really desire, topped off by large raises. I am not against the Members of Parliament receiving the extra amounts, if they do the work as requested by their constituents. Your constituents elected YOU as HIS/HER Member of Parliament, not to sit there and not work on behalf of many. You were asked if YOU supported release of Post-1901 census records, used by many for family histories, searching for lost family members, etc. Instead, when you do reply, we receive many pages of dictated caucus memos, which do not answer the questions. Please discuss the census issue with your constiituents when in the home riding -- ask for opinions -- you may be surprised. After this, please sent an email to me with YOUR personal opinion. Muriel M. Davidson Co-Chair. Canada Census Committee [Nova Scotia is my home province -- I am proud to state that] 04/10/2001 - email to MP Robert Thibault from Gordon A. Watts. Mr. Robert Thibault, MP West Nova Parliament Buildings Ottawa, Ontario Dear Mr. Thibault Regarding your recent message to Muriel Davidson, the text of which is copied below, you responded to her question by making reference to the position, or lack thereof, of the "Government of Canada". With respect, Sir, it was not the position of the Government of Canada that was solicited by the letter of Mrs. Davidson. It was your personal position regarding public access to Historic Census, 92 years after collection, as permitted by Regulations attached to the Privacy Act. The constituents of your riding voted for you to be their representative in the House of Commons. They did so presumably because they felt you were an intelligent, rational individual, capable of making your own decisions. They likely felt that your views were representative of their own. When asked a question, do you not feel that your constituents are entitled to an answer that reflects your own views, rather than the "unknown" position of the "Government of Canada"? Or are you concerned that if you have an opinion of your own, that may not toe the party line, your political career in federal politics may be somewhat shortened? As a newly elected MP you may not be aware that for the past few years, many thousands of Canadians, many of them your constituents, have been seeking to regain public access to Historic Census records. An independent body of experts was appointed to study and make recommendations regarding that access. They brought down a Report that favours allowing public access to Historic Census Records, past, present, and future, in accordance with the Privacy Act. I urge you to read the Report of the Expert Panel on Access to Historic Census Records, available from Statistics Canada. Once having done so, and considering Bills C-312 and S-12 as examples, I would ask you to answer the following question, stating your own opinion, not that of the "Government of Canada". "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)" I have, for your information, attached to this message, a file containing my submission to the Expert Panel. Titled "The Myths of Census", it is in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. I think you will find it interesting reading. I look forward to an early response, stating your own opinion. Thank you. Gordon A. WATTS gordon_watts@telus.net Co-chair, Canada Census Committee Port Coquitlam, BC 04/04/2001 - email from MP Robert Thibault to Muriel M. Davidson. April 4, 2001 Mrs Muriel Davidson Dear Ms. Davidson, I wish to acknowledge receipt of your e-mail with respect to Bills C-312 and S-12 relating to census records. Please accept my apologies for the delay in responding. As is the case with all Private Members Bills in the House of Commons, the Government of Canada, willl determine their position on these two Bills when they reach the House of Commons for a vote. At this time, the Government of Canada has yet to determine their position and will do so in due course. Once again, thank you for writing and sharing your views with me. Sincerely, Robert G. Thibault, P.C., M.P. 03/29/2001 - email from MP Robert Thibault to Muriel M. Davidson. March 29, 2001 Ms. Muriel M. Davidson Dear Ms. Davidson On behalf of the Honourable Robert Thibault, P.C., M.P., I wish to acknowledge receipt of your correspondence of March 04, 2001, on the release of census information. I do regret the delay in replying. The time you have take to write is appreciated and you can be assured that your comments have been brought to the Minister's attention. Sincerely, Sylvie Labelle Office Manager 11/27/2000 - Mr. Robert Thibault was elected to the House of Commons 27 November 2000. |
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