| Name: | Joyce Fairbairn |
| Political Party: | Liberal |
| Province: | Alberta |
| Senatorial Division: | Lethbridge |
| Telephone: | (613) 996-4382 |
| Fax: | (613) |
| Email: | fairbj@sen.parl.gc.ca |
| Website: |
| Address: | Senate of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A OA4 |
02/11/2003 - letter from office of Senator Joyce Fairbairn to Muriel M. Davidson.
Muriel M. Davidson Canada Census Committee 25 Crestview Avenue Brampton, ON L6W 2R8 Dear Ms. Davidson, On behalf of Senator Joyce Fairbairn, I would like to thank you for your letter regarding the release of 1911 and later census records, and Senator Milne's work on this issue. Please be assured that I will bring this information to the Senator's attention. Thank you for taking the time to keep Senator Fairbairn informed. Sincerely, Katie Castleton Assistant 03/26/2002 - email to Senator Joyce Fairbairn from Wayne Scott.
To: Joyce Fairbairn, Senator Sent: Tuesday, March 26, 2002 5:26 PM Subject: Bill S-12 As you will know, Bill S-12 is an Act to Amend the National Archives of Canada Act and the Statistics Act (census records). It provides for the release of century-old information which is important to genealogical researchers and other historians. I am an Albertan seeking to create a picture of my ancestors to pass along to my children and their children. I cannot understand the bureaucratic infighting which tries to prevent such useful community building. Please support Bill S-12 and the important things that it seeks to accomplish! Wayne Scott Calgary AB 03/08/2002 - letter to Senator Joyce Fairbairn from Robert Wiffin.
Hon. Senator Joyce Fairbairn Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, Parliament Buildings, Ottawa, Ontario. Dear Senator Fairbairn: Last September, I communicated with you via e-mail urging support for Bill S-12 which your committee was studying. I was very pleased that the bill was passed by your committee without amendment and that it will soon be coming up for further debate and a vote. I see that on the Census Release Scoreboard posted on the internet you are listed as NO RESPONSE with regard to support of the bill. Once again, I urge you to vote in support of this bill. I have a personal interest in the release of the 1911 census information because I am researching my own family tree. Information about my grandparents that I obtained from the 1891 and 1901 censuses is in conflict and I am hoping that the 1911 census will resolve the differences. There is no record of any complaint regarding the release of Census information 92 years after collection. There are, however, thousands of signatures on petitions presented to the House of Commons and the Senate calling for resumption of release of the Census to the public after 92 years. The Expert Panel which was formed by the previous Liberal government recommended the release of the Census information and the recent Town Hall meetings which were held at 14 cities across the country were also all in favour of release. As I am sure you know, the United States and the United Kingdom both have legislation which releases Census records to the public. In both places there is considerable activity aimed at making the Census records more readily available. In the U.S. the entire 1900 Census has been indexed and is available over the internet for a fee. The U.K. has gone one better by making the entire 1901 Census available over the internet FREE. There is then a small fee to obtain copies of the transcripts. The U.K. website was designed for high traffic but the response was so overwhelming that they were forced to shut down and redesign the system. The GRO in the U.K. has announced that the release of the 1901 Census is just the first step in their plan to put ALL their Census records on the internet. This is such an important issue to so many people that it deserves a full debate. Murray Calder's identical private member’s bill C-312 has unfortunately been categorized as non-votable and debate will be limited to one hour. If for no other reason, I urge you to vote in support of Bill S-12 so that it will be passed on to the House of Commons for a full hearing. Yours truly, Robert Wiffin Ancaster, ON 10/04/2001 - email to Senator Joyce Fairbairn from Sharon Walker.
I am interested in researching my family's history and wish to gain access to the 1911 and subsequent census records. It has been estimated that there are some 7.5 million plus Canadians involved in Genealogical research. These citizens, in their quest for their past, for their Canadian heritage, depend heavily upon the information provided in Census reports. Under current legislation, post 1901 Census reports will not be released to the Public after 92 years, as have been Census reports up to and including 1901. I am aware that Statistics Canada will not transfer these records to the National Archives because they claim it would violate Section 17 of the Statistics Act. Strong representations have been made to Mr. Tobin's office as minister in charge of Statistics Canada to change the legislation that controls release of the census. I have recently learned that there are two alternatives to correct this undesirable situation. The first alternative is to introduce retroactive legislation to permit the release of all census records once they are 92 years old, as now provided for in the privacy regulations. The second alternative is to change the legislation to permit the release of census records STARTING WITH THE 2001 census. The second alternative is completely unacceptable as it would prevent researchers from viewing any census records falling between the years 1911 and 2001. The 92-year-rule gives more than adequate privacy protection to citizens enumerated in the census. In the past two years, many of those 7.5 million plus voters, including myself, have sent numerous letters and email to their local Members of Parliament, Government Ministers, and Senators expressing their dismay with, and opposition to, this legislation. We have requested the legislation be amended to allow release to the Public of Census records after 92 years, starting with the 1911 Census. I write to ask the following question: would you vote FOR or AGAINST a Bill supporting release to the Public of Post 1901 Census Records after 92 years, starting with the 1906 Census? I respectfully request and strongly urge you to support the retroactive legislation to permit the release of the 1911 and subsequent census records. I await your answer to this question at your earliest convenience. Sharon Walker 09/29/2001 - letter to Senator Joyce Fairbairn from Marg MacDonald.
I am aware that you are 'UNDECIDED' regarding the release of the 1906 and subsequent Census records to the public. As a Canadian citizen, I do support the recommendations of the Expert Panel on Access to Historical Census Records, and I encourage you to take a strong stand on BILL S-12, which will allow the publishing of the post 1901 Census records and any future census records as well. I have been researching my families' roots for many years. Without records such as the Census' being available for all to review, it make the search very difficult, if not impossible. These particular census are especially vital to my research and I'm sure to many others, since huge number of our forefathers immigrated during this period. The Expert Panel acknowledges that these records are important and says they should continue to be made available. I strongly urge you to support Bill S-12, making the information available to future generations of Canadians. If you have bery good reasons why you cannot support this Bill, I would appreciate knowing what they are. Thank you. Respectfully, Marge MacDonald Maple Ridge, BC 09/25/2001 - letter to Senator Joyce Fairbairn from Robert Wiffin.
Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, Parliament Buildings, Ottawa, Ontario. Dear Senator Fairbairn: I am writing to you today to urge you to suppport Bill S-12 for release of the 1906 and subsequent Census records to the public. As an amateur genealogist, I am particularly interested in the 1911 Census to resolve conflicts in the records of my grandparents contained in the 1891 and 1901 Censuses. As you are aware, the purpose of Bill S-12 is not to create some new function but rather to RESTORE access to the Census records. This access has been denied to the public, not by an Act of Parliament, but by a LEGAL OPINION from the Justice Department which claims that a promise was made of non-disclosure in perpetuity. Mr. Gordon Watts, who appeared before your committee, has done extensive work in searching the parliamentary records for evidence of this promise but was unable to find any supporting evidence. Nor have the supporters of the non-disclosure position been able to produce any evidence to support their stand. The Expert Panel, which was formed by the previous Liberal government to look into the issue, was also unable to find any supporting evidence and recommended that the Census records should be released. There is no record of any complaint regarding the release of Census information 92 years after collection. There are, however, thousands of signatures on petitions presented to the House of Commons and the Senate calling for the return to release of the Census to the public after 92 years. The United States of America and the United Kingdom both have legislation which releases Census records to the public. For the U.S., the time delay is 72 years and in the U.K. it is 100 years. However in both places there is considerable activity aimed at making the Census records more readily available. In the U.S., the entire 1900 Census has been indexed and is available over the internet after payment of a fee to the private company that put it on line. It is time to stop the foot-dragging and I urge you again to support Bill S-12. Yours truly, Robert Wiffin Ancaster, Ontario, L9G 3B5. 09/24/2001 - email to Senator Joyce Fairbairn from Frank McKerry.
To: Joyce Fairbairn, SEN: Sent: Monday, September 24, 2001 10:44 PM Subject: Release of the 1901 Census Hon. Sen. Joyce FAIRBAIRN The Senate has Bill S-12 to vote on the release of the Canadian Census, It is noted that you are undecided on how you will vote. Many thousands of families require these important Census to trace their ancestors who pioneered this great country of ours, My family would like to trace our ancestors too. We urge you to vote YES on Bill S-12 to give these thousands of families some closure. Respectfully Frank McKerry Vernon, B.C. 09/22/2001 - letter to Senator Joyce Fairbairn from Lyn Duncan.
Bill S-12, now before the Senate will have an effect on everyone in our families wanting to reasearch these files at some time. It should be (and I believe very strongly) that it IS our right to access thisinformation from 'our' National Archives. Please take a few moments to read what I have to say in hopes that youwill reconsider the importance of this issue, what it means to CanadianHistory & persons researching their family roots in Canada. May we all stand united on this very important issue. Please vote YES for release of the Census to "our" National Archives from Stats Canada, as in the past 235 years we family researchers have had access to these most valuable records (after 92 years). The refusal to comply with the recommendation of the panel to do so has a personal effect on my research. I have my family tree from 1851.... Russia to USA, but now have no way of knowing when they came to Canada. The family has so far only been able to guess..... not good enough!! We need proof. Many members of my family have different dates, which leave us all in a quandary. My children want me to complete this & I want to also. They do not know the names of the relatives as I do. I believe I (WE ALL) owe it to our children to know where the previous generations were, for our personal history & that of Canada. I cannot locate Canadian members in the 1901 census, but obituaries show they were in Alberta in 1905 & died either in 1911 (as some say) or 1919 as others say. Although this is just one of many people's stories I hope you will consider this matter seriously & vote 'yes' for Bill S-12 ~ please for the sake of our heritage of this very young country & for generations to come, again I plead for your support with a 'yes' vote. How can we instill in our children "Pride in Canada" without showing them how their ancestors pioneered this land? Thank you I sign this with great respect, Lyn Duncan White Rock, BC 09/19/2001 - letter to Senator Joyce Fairbairn from Frank McKerry.
Please vote YES for the release of the Canadian Census Bill S-12 that you are studying and will be voting on soon. Many thousands of families like our own are trying to trace our ancestors who pioneered this wonderful country of ours. This is the only means we have to trace our roots, please do not take this information away on some pretext or misguided persons interpretation of something that is not facts. Respectfully Frank McKerry VERNON, BC 07/01/2001 - letter sent to all Senators by Gordon A. Watts.
Greetings. You may be aware that in the past several years a great many Canadians have been seeking to regain public access to Historic Census Records, 92 years after collection, as allowed by Regulations attached to the Privacy Act. Public access to Census Records after 1901 is currently prevented because of misinterpreted legislation and faulty legal opinions from Justice Canada that cause Statistics Canada to withhold control of these records from the National Archivist. In November of 1999, then Industry Minister John Manley commissioned a panel of experts to study and make recommendations relating to public access to Historic Census Records. Their Report was submitted at the end of June 2000. It was finally made public, because of an Access to Information Request, on 15 December 2000. Current Industry Minister Brian Tobin, on releasing the Report of the Expert Panel on Access to Historic Census, rejected the recommendations contained therein, stating that “further broad based consultation with all Canadians” was required. It is the considered opinion of this writer that Mr. Tobin has likely not even read the Report of the Expert Panel, and is taking his direction from Chief Statistician Dr. Ivan Fellegi, who opposes public access to these records. I urge each of you to read for yourself the findings of the Expert Panel on Access to Historic Census Records. It is available in hard copy, or accessible on the Statistics Canada website at: http://www.statcan.ca/english/census96/finalrep.htm en français http://www.statcan.ca/francais/census96/finalrep_f.htm Briefly, the Expert Panel found that a guarantee of perpetual confidentiality was not intended to apply to the census. They felt that it had always been intended that census records would eventually become public and did not view any legislation deemed necessary to do so as breaking of a promise to respondents. The Report recommended allowing public access to all Census records, past, present and future, 92 years following collection. They advised caution only regarding any legislative steps that might be thought necessary to effect release of Census between 1921 and 2001. They suggested that any legislative change felt necessary be done in the National Archives Act rather than in the Statistics Act. This message is being sent to all Members of the Senate of Canada to ask for individual responses to a specific question regarding how you would vote on a Bill supporting public access to Historic Census Records. An example of such would be Bill S-12, presented to the Senate by the Honourable Lorna Milne. Bill S-12 has received second reading and has been referred to Committee. Bill C-312, identical to S-12, has been presented to the House of Commons by MP Murray Calder. The Question: “Would you, as a Member of the Senate 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.)” A website dealing with Post 1901 Census has been posted at http://globalgenealogy.com/Census Among other things, it contains an explanation of the problem, petitions to download, links to various submissions to the Expert Panel, Bills and Motions relating to Historic Census, extracts from Hansard for the House of Commons and the Senate, and to columns written by myself that have been published in the Global Gazette -- an e-magazine published by Global Genealogy. The website also contains ‘Scoreboards’ showing the position of MPs and Senators relating to the above question. Your response (or lack thereof) to the question above will be recorded on the Senator’s Scoreboard located on this website. Should you wish to comment, or elaborate on your position, a correspondence log for each Senator is accessible from the Scoreboard. Correspondence to or from you that has been forwarded to me, will be recorded in this log. The Post 1901 Census web site is sponsored by The Global Gazette, an online magazine serving the genealogical and heritage community. A vast number of e-mails and calls from subscribers and web site visitors, clearly demonstrates that this issue is extremely important to them. I look forward to your early reply. Thank you. Sincerely, Gordon A. Watts gordon_watts@telus.net Co-Chair, Canada Census Committee |
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