| Name: | The Hon. Jim Peterson |
| Political Party: | Liberal Party of Canada |
| Constituency: | Willowdale |
| Province: | Ontario |
| Telephone: | (613) 992-4964 |
| Fax: | (613) 992-1158 |
| Email: | Peterson.J@parl.gc.ca |
| Address: | House of Commons, Ottawa K1A OA6 |
| Constituency Address: | 5799 Yonge St Suite 806 Willowdale, Ontario M2M 3V3 |
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08/29/2004 - letter sent to MP Jim Peterson from Gordon A. Watts 29 August 2004 Mr. Jim Peterson Dear Mr. Peterson 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 12/13/2002 - email from office of MP Jim Peterson to Muriel M. Davidson.
To: Muriel M. Davidson Sent: Friday, December 13, 2002 10:01 AM Subject: RE: Census Dear Ms. Davidson On behalf of the Hon. Jim Peterson, thank you for your email. I apologize for the delay of this reply. I am writing to inform you that Mr. Peterson is supportive of the release of the post-1901 census records. Please do not hesitate to contact our office again should we be of future assistance. Yours sincerely, Sarah Gray Special Assistant to the Hon. Jim Peterson. 10/07/2002 - email to MP Jim Peterson from Gordon A. Watts.
To: MP Peterson, Jim Sent: Monday, October 07, 2002 11:44 AM Subject: Post 1901 Census legislation Dear Mr. Peterson 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 Jim Peterson from Frank McKerry.
To: Jim Peterson, MP Sent: Friday, September 20, 2002 2:48 PM Subject: Post 1901 Census Mr. Jim Peterson, M.P. Willowdale: 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. 06/21/2002 - email from office of MP Jim Peterson to Vicki Moorhead.
To: 'Vicki Moorhead' Sent: Friday, June 21, 2002 9:27 AM Subject: RE: Census Dear Ms. Moorhead: On behalf of the Hon. Jim Peterson, I would like to acknowledge the receipt of your e-mail message. Please be assured that your comments will be brought to Mr. Peterson's attention. Kindly provide us with your mailing address so that we may update our correspondence file. Thank you for contacting Jim Peterson's parliamentary office. Sincerely, Alison Mitchell Special Assistant to the Hon. Jim Peterson OTTAWA -----Original Message----- From: Vicki Moorhead [mailto:gmoorhead267796mi@comcast.net] Sent: June 21, 2002 9:13 AM To: Peterson.J@parl.gc.ca Subject: Census The Hon. Jim Peterson: I am sending this email in regards to the Bill S-12 and am asking you to please reconsider the release of the 1906/1911 census. Our past is our history. Thank you Vicki 10/29/2001 - email from MP Jim Peterson to Bill.
To: "'bill'" Sent: Monday, October 29, 2001 11:20 AM Subject: RE: post 1901 census Dear Bill: On behalf of the Hon. Jim Peterson, I would like to acknowledge the receipt of your e-mail message. Please be assured that your comments will be brought to Minister Peterson's attention. Kindly provide us with your mailing address so that we may update our correspondence file. Thank you for contacting Jim Peterson's parliamentary office. Sincerely, Chantal Roy Special Assistant to the Hon. Jim Peterson OTTAWA -----Original Message----- From: bill [mailto:bstill@ctaz.com] Sent: October 28, 2001 8:32 PM To: Peterson.J@parl.gc.ca Subject: post 1901 census hello, as a descendant of several generations of Canadians, I am proud of my Canadian heritage. I am need of these census records in question to continue my research of my family history. I am hoping when you consider your position in this matter you will choose to release these census records for use, thank you. Bill 09/05/2001 - email from MP Jim Peterson to Avalon Lawlor.
Date: Wed, 5 Sep 2001 10:45:22 -0400 From: "Peterson, Jim - M.P." To: "'Avalon Lawlor'" Dear Avalon Lawlor: On behalf of the Hon. Jim Peterson, I would like to acknowledge the receipt of your e-mail message. Please be assured that your comments will be brought to Minister Peterson's attention. Kindly provide us with your mailing address so that we may update our correspondence file. Thank you for contacting Jim Peterson's parliamentary office. Sincerely, Chantal Roy Special Assistant to the Hon. Jim Peterson OTTAWA 08/10/2000 - letter from Hon. Jim Peterson, MP, to Ms. Charmaine Bosse.
Ms. Charmaine Bosse Dear Ms. Bosse As you may be aware, the Privacy Act provides for the transfer of records to the national Archives, and it permits such transfers only if therre are no other acts with different or stronger protection. Starting in 1906, the legislation that gave the authority to collect census information contained statutory confidentiality provisions. These provisions are such that only the person named in the record may have access to his or her information. Thus, Statistics Canada cannot transfer the census records taken under the authority of the 1906 and subsequent Statistics Acts. Like any law, the Statistics Act can be amended, but this is where an important principle of privacy protection comes into play. Is it right to alter retraoctively the conditions under which information was provided by Canadians? The issue is very complex. While there is undeniably great valus attached to nominative historical census records, there is also great value in the information produced from current and future censuses. Changes to the commitments made to respondents in the past could have a negative impact on the level of co-operation given to future censuses and surveys. Again, thank you for writing. Please do not hesitate to contact my office again, should I be of further assistance. Yours sincerely, The Hon. Jim Peterson Member of Parliament Willowdale
I am writing as one of your constituents, and as a concerned genealogist. I am of the understanding that there is a federal government proposal to withhold the release of census information from 1901 and beyond, and that in fact, this data may be destroyed. I would like to express my strong opposition ot this proposal. As you may be aware, census information is the most widely used data source for people researching their family backgrounds. I myself have used the earlier records to find a number of my ancestors. These people would have otherwise remained unknown to my family. I don't know if the proposal is based on budgetary concerns, or an indefinite extension (chronologically) of the Freedom of Information / Protection of Privacy regulations. I do know that without this information, generations upon generations of future Canadians, and descendants of Canadians, will be deprived of a vital information resource. Therefore, I ask you, along with a number of concerned genealogists:
As a further alternative (and I'm suggesting this as a last ditch effort), your government has moved Stats-Can into revenue-generation mode with respect to recent Census data years. Specifically, the census data that used to be provided free to other governmental agencies (e.g. counties, cities) is now sold to these agencies, and is a source of revenue for the federal government. Could this not also be done with the older census data? One only need look to the internet to see the proliferation of genealogical data for sale on CD-ROM to know that there is a vast untapped market out there - and the Canadian federal government has a product NO ONE ELSE has to sell! I would appreciate your views on this subject. Yours Respectfully, Gregg Loane, P.Eng...."
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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