Greetings All I copy below for your information a Press Release from Senator Lorna Milne regarding access to Post 1901 Census. The information contained therein, depending on the reaction of Statistics Canada, could forstall our preparations to proceed to the Federal Courts for a Writ of Mandamus for release of the records. Time will tell. Happy Haunting. <]:-) Gordon A. Watts gordon_watts@telus.net Co-Chair, Canada Census Committee Port Coquitlam, BC http://globalgenealogy.com/Census en francais http://globalgenealogy.com/Census/Index_f.htm Permission to forward without notice is granted. ================================ Senator Lorna Milne demands that Statistics Canada stop breaking the law FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - OTTAWA - October 29, 2001 Today, the Hon. Lorna Milne demanded that Statistics Canada stop breaking the law and allow the release of post 1901 census records to the National Archives of Canada. "It is now clear that Statistics Canada has a legal duty to release post 1901 census records, and they have repeatedly refused to do so", Senator Milne asserted. "They can no longer claim any legitimate reason to avoid this duty. This vital record of Canada's history and people must be released into the keeping of the National Archivist of Canada immediately". Senator Milne was reacting to the release of 10 legal opinions that Statistics Canada has received over the last 20 years on the issue of the release of post 1901 census information. The documents were obtained by the Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology. The committee is currently studying Bill S-12, Senator Milne's Private Senator's Bill that would allow for the release of census information 92 years after the date of the census. "The latest legal opinion unequivocally states that the better legal view is that post 1901 census records should be released." she noted. "Furthermore, the current Chief Statistician, Dr. Ivan Fellegi, was told as long ago as 1981 that, in order to comply with both the spirit and the letter of privacy and access to information legislation, Statistics Canada would have to release post 1901 census information". Senator Milne has received petitions from nearly 20,000 Canadians calling for the release of post 1901 census information. The 1906 Western Census records were due to be released in 1998 in accordance with the National Archives of Canada Act and the Privacy Act, but Statistics Canada has refused to act on this obligation. - 30 - For more information, please call Jeff Paul at 613-947-9744