From: Gordon A. Watts
To: Poilievre.P@parl.gc.ca
Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 2004 3:41 PM
Subject: Your message to Muriel M. Davidson

Dear Mr. Poilievre.

As a newly elected Member of Parliament you might be excused for not being fully conversant with the issue of public access to Historic Census records, and the history of the lobby effort of many thousands of Canadians, and others, that seek to regain the public access that is currently withheld from us.

I regret to inform you that you have been provided some slightly incorrect information regarding the Motion you quote in your message to Muriel M. Davidson. The Motion you quote is M-160 that was presented by MP Jason Kenney to the Second Session of the 36th Parliament and placed in the order of precedence on 19 October 1999.

The Motion as quoted is the original wording that Mr. Kenney presented. Unfortunately, prior to a vote being taken on this Motion, Liberal MP Mac Harb moved an amendment that virtually rendered the Motion meaningless. That amendment changed the wording of the Motion to read as follows:

"That in the opinion of this House, the government should consider taking all necessary steps to release the 1911 census records once they have been deposited in the National Archives in 2003."

With respect, the government could 'consider taking all neccessary steps' until 'the cows come home' without ever taking any action. In point of fact that is exactly what the government did for the next three years.

In actual fact, on 26 September 2000 the majority of the Official Opposition voted against the amendment to the Motion. Unfortunately, the Liberals having a majority at the time the vote was taken the amendment to the Motion passed handily and the meaningless amended motion was carried on division without a recorded vote.

Perhaps you could request your source of information to bring themselves more up to date with the current situation.

We are seeking the same public access to Historic Census Records after 1906, with no added conditions or restrictions, that is currently available for records up to that time. Current legislation makes specific provision for that access and we believe the withholding of records for the 1911 and subsequent Census records by the Chief Statistician to be unlawful. Bill S-13 was the government's response to our concerns and was said to provide the access that we sought. Unfortunately it was more concerned with placing conditions and restrictions on that access than it was in providing it. We were not unhappy to see it die on the order paper.

I am inclined to believe that you are supportive of our efforts to regain the public access to Historic Census records that we seek. However your message to Mrs. Davidson does not specifically state your personal support. I would very much like to show you on the MPs Scoreboard as having a Gold Tick of support. It would be greatly appreciated if you would respond to this message by stating your (hopefully positive) personal position on the access that we seek.

Thank you.

Gordon A. Watts gordon_watts@telus.net
Co-chair Canada Census Committee
Port Coquitlam, BC

From: Poilievre, Pierre - M.P. [mailto:Poilievre.P@parl.gc.ca]
Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 2004 11:17 AM
To: Adele Turner
Subject: RE: Historic Census...Waiting a "yes" or "No" not an ambigious reply.

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.

Pierre Poilievre, M.P. (Nepean-Carleton)
Phone: 613-992-2772 Fax:613-992-1209
Email: poilip@parl.gc.ca Web: www.fightingforyou.ca

-------Original Message--------
From: Adele Turner [mailto:ajturner@shaw.ca]
Sent: October 13, 2004 2:30 PM
To: Poilievre, Pierre - M.P.
Subject: Historic Census...Waiting a "yes" or "No" not an ambigious reply.

Mr. Poilevre:

I saw your reply addressed to Muriel Davidson regarding the release of the Post 1901 Historic Census. However, it didn't answer her question and I need to know HOW YOU stand on the Post 1901 Historic Census? Do you support its preservation or its destruction? That is my only question so it only needs a simple answer. You can't tell me this is an answer and I quote from your email:

"Rest assured, I am monitoring this issue closely. In the current Parliament, with a minority government, all Members of Parliament have a greater opportunity for constructive input to help bring a positive resolution to this important matter." UNQUOTE

When you answer the question, this type of correspondence will cease.

In closing please remember, you are answerable to ALL Canadians not just to those in your riding....when you vote in the House of Commons, you vote for all Canadians and your vote effects us all.

Thanking you in advance for your prompt attention to this correspondence.

Adele Turner
North Vancouver, BC

From: "Poilievre, Pierre - M.P."
To: "Muriel M. Davidson"
Sent: Tuesday, October 12, 2004 10:12 PM
Subject: RE: We Are Waiting for Your Positive Reply

Thank you for contacting me about access to census data. Census records are an invaluable source of information for those conducting historical or genealogical research.

The Official Opposition voted unanimously in favour of a motion that stated: "That in the opinion of this House, the government should take all necessary steps to release the 1911 census records once they have been deposited in the National Archives in 2003."

Rest assured, I am monitoring this issue closely. In the current Parliament, with a minority government, all Members of Parliament have a greater opportunity for constructive input to help bring a positive resolution to this important matter.

If I can be of any further assistance to you in the future, please do not hesitate to contact my office.

Pierre Poilievre, M.P. (Nepean-Carleton)
Phone: 613-992-2772 Fax:613-992-1209
Email: poilip@parl.gc.ca Web: www.fightingforyou.ca

29 August 2004

Mr. Pierre Poilievre
Member of Parliament
House of Commons
Parliament Buildings
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6

Dear Mr. Poilievret

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