Greetings all. Attempts to informally obtain responses from Brian Tobin and Anne McLellan giving clarification of Brian Tobin's announced "broad based discussions with all Canadians" regarding public access of Historic Census Records have been abysmal failures. Neither response, nor acknowledgement of receipt of correspondence has been forthcoming. This afternoon I mailed two Access to Information Requests -- one to Statistics Canada for Brian Tobin, and one to the Department of Justice for Anne McLellan. I copy below the text of the ATI request to Statistics Canada. The request to the Department of Justice, while worded differently, seeks the same information. These requests were sent via Canada Post's ExpressPost and should be received no later than Tuesday next week. The respective departments have 30 days from the date of receipt to respond. We await that response with great interest and anticipation. Happy Hunting. 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 ======================================= 10 August 2001 ATIP Coordinator Statistics Canada Pamela White R.H. Coats Bldg., 25-B Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0T6 Ms White. The Honourable Brian Tobin, Minister of Industry, and Minister Responsible for Statistics Canada, on 15 December 2000, released to the public the Report of the Expert Panel on Access to Historic Census Records commissioned by his predecessor, the Honourable John Manley. He did so on Day 89 of the 90-day period within which he was required by law to do so because of an Access to Information Request made by myself. In making the Report of the Expert Panel public, Mr. Tobin at the same time dismissed the recommendations contained therein, and issued a News Release stating: ". further broad based consultation with all Canadians is needed. This consultation will take place as part of the already announced administrative and legislative review of the Access to Information and the Privacy Acts." On 26 March 2001 your correspondent took part in roundtable discussions conducted under the auspices of the Access to Information Act Review Task Force. This is the body charged with undertaking the "already announced administrative and legislative review of the Access to Information .Act." At the end of the day, those of us whose primary interest was in regaining public access to Historic Census records were pulled aside by observing members of the ATIA Review Task Force. We were advised that perhaps the ATIA Review was not the best route to take to achieve that goal. We were further advised: * Not to expect much to be said about public access to Historic Census Records in the Final Report of the ATI Act Review Task Force. * A review of, and recommendations regarding, public access to Historic Census Records did not form a part of the mandate of the ATI Act Review Task Force. * Members of the ATI Act Review Task Force had never been advised that a review of, and subsequent recommendations relating to, public access of Historic Census Records should be considered by them. * A review of the Privacy Act was not, and has never been, a part of the mandate of the ATI Act Review Task Force. This advice, coming from observing members of the ATIA Review Task Force, is obviously at odds with the statement contained in the 15 December 2000 News Release of Mr. Tobin. On 26 March 2001 I directed an email to Mr. Tobin advising him what we had been told by observing members of the ATIA Review Task Force. I made a number of points and asked some questions, requesting a personal response from Mr. Tobin that would clarify the situation. On 29 April 2001 I directed another message to Mr. Tobin. It was sent via email, fax, and Canada Post. This message requested a response to my first email as well as other information relating to the "broad based consultation with all Canadians" announced by Mr. Tobin. I again requested a personal response from Mr. Tobin. To date, now approaching five months since sending my original message regarding this subject (26 march 2001), Mr. Tobin has neither responded to my stated concerns, nor has he or his staff had the courtesy to even acknowledge receipt of them. On 2 June 2001, following a number of long distance telephone calls to the Office of the Minister, I sent a third email message requesting responses from, or at least acknowledgement of receipt, of the previous two messages. Some ten days later I received an acknowledgement of this message from Mr. Paul Parent, A/Manager, Executive Correspondence and Records. This acknowledgement did not respond to the concerns expressed in the previous letters. It simply stated: "On behalf of the Honourable Brian Tobin, we wish to acknowledge receipt of your recent Internet message. Minister Tobin appreciates receiving your correspondence." I quite frankly doubt that Minister Tobin "appreciates" receiving my correspondence. It is doubtful that he has even seen, or been advised of it. It is obvious that I will likely not, via informal requests, receive any response to my concerns relating to the announced "further broad based consultations with all Canadians" in regards public access to Historic Census Records. This letter, therefore, is to be considered a formal Request for Information under Access to Information legislation. I have enclosed herein a check for the requisite fee for such a Request. In relation to the above I seek to obtain any and all documentation, including email, letters, memoranda, notes about conversations, or other, between Brian Tobin as Minister of Industry or his staff, and; Anne McLellan -- Minister of Justice or her staff, employees of Justice Canada, Dr. Ivan Fellegi -- Chief Statistician of Canada, employees of Statistics Canada, The Honourable Lucienne Robillard -- President of the Treasury Board of Canada, Madame Andrée Delagrave - Chair of the ATIA Review Task Force, members of that Task Force, and/or any other bodies or persons; relating to any public consultations and/or review of public access to Historic Census Records and recommendations regarding the various legislation pertaining thereto, in particular the Access to Information Act. I further seek any and all similar documentation between the above individuals, and any other bodies or persons, relating to any similar review of the Privacy Act. I seek specifically to be advised as to where, when, and by whom "further broad based discussions with all Canadians" relating to public access of Historic Census Records have been, or are to be, held. I further seek to be advised as to when the results of any such "discussions" will be made known to the public. I seek the truth. This ATI Request has been directed to Statistics Canada. It is expected that, as per the ATI Act, should another department, or departments, be better able to fulfill my request, it shall be so directed to that other department or departments. A request similar to this one has been directed to Justice Canada and the Minister thereof, the Honourable Anne McLellan. Thank you. Gordon A. Watts, Co-Chair, Canada Census Committee