From: "Carr, Gary - M.P."
To: "Michelle Knoll"
Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2004 3:49 PM
Subject: RE: Census Release

Dear Ms. Knoll:

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your email regarding the issue of the release of the post 1901 census. I have received many letters such as yours, from different constituents whom have voiced their opinion on the release of census information.

I believe that it is very important that I am aware of the issues that are of concern to my constituents. Your input will be important and prominent in our caucus discussions.

I appreciate that you have taken the time to keep me up to date on your ideas and concerns. I will keep you informed of anything I think may be of interest to you.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns with me.

Sincerely,

Gary Carr, M.P.
Halton

From: Michelle Knoll
To: Carr.G@parl.gc.ca
Sent: Friday, October 15, 2004 1:33 PM
Subject: Census Release

Gary,

Just wanted to let you know that I am a constituent of yours and am very much in favour of the release of post 1901 census. I am hoping caucus is able to make a decision in this regard soon. Many of us have been requesting release for a long time.

Release of the 1911 census would be particularly helpful for me in my research into the men who served in the wars who lived in Trafalagar Twp. The census information would allow me to ensure that all men who were born in Trafalgar Twp are listed. At the moment there are no other records available for me to compile a list.You may be aware that very little historical information exists for Trafalgar Twp due to amalgamation with Oakville in the 60's.

I hope you can expedite this so that the Trafalgar War Memorial that was promised many years ago will become a reality.

Michelle Knoll Halton Riding

From: Rick Roberts
To: Gordon A. Watts
Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 2004 6:54 AM
Subject: Gary Carr MP

Hi Gordon

Please find Gary Carr's response to my written appeal asking him to investigate the historical census issue and support release of those documents for public use. His email is after my signature below.

Gary Carr is a new member of Parliament, elected in Halton Riding during the recent election

Cheers :)

Rick Roberts
GlobalGenealogy.com Inc.,
Campbellville, ON

Dear Mr. Roberts:

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your email regarding the issue of the release of the 1911 Census. Thank you for your support and kind words.

As you may be aware, we are having caucus discussions on this issue. I believe that it is very important that I am aware of the issues that are of concern to my constituents. Your input will be important and prominent in our caucus discussions.

I appreciate that you have taken the time to keep me up to date on your ideas and concerns. I will keep you informed of anything I think may be of interest to you.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns with me.

Sincerely,

Gary Carr, M.P.
Halton

29 August 2004

Mr. Gary Carr
Member of Parliament
House of Commons
Parliament Buildings
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6

Dear Mr. Carr

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