Greetings All. I see that there have already been postings out regarding the online survey being conducted by the National Archives of Canada on what people would like to see available from the Archives. I would encourage all to check out this survey and to submit their responses to it. The URL for it is http://accessible.archives.ca This survey was but one item in an impressive supplement section of the Globe and Mail newpaper of Saturday 16 February 2002. This supplement contains much information about the National Archives of Canada and plans in the works for a "Canadian Genealogy Centre". Perhaps one of the most interesting lines in this supplement was in an article titled "Digitization: A Transformation for the National Archive". This line stated "To meet the insatiable national and international demand for genealogical infromation, the returns from the 1901 Canadian Census will soon be available online, free of charge." This is indeed welcome news. Welcome also is the news that online access to these records will be free of charge, unlike the online access for the records of England, Wales, and Scotland, and the commercial enterprizes offering digitized returns in the United States. While there is much more in this supplement, two articles are of particular interest to genealogists and family historians. As I have been unable to find an online version of these articles I copy them here for your interest. ============================= GENEALOGY AND FAMILY HISTORY Every year, the Ntional Archives of Canada welcomes thousands of visitors into its research rooms - most of them intent on tracing their family histories. This is no idle pastime. The pursuit of genealogy and family history is one of this country's most popular activities, and one of the main ways for citizens to connect to the past and find meaning in it. This increasing popularity of family history has combined with modem online technology to transform the way the National Archives offers its services. The Archives makes available many important sources used for research into family history; but until recently, ancestor-hunters had to access the archives much s people hve had to do since the First World War" making use of paper finding aids and indexes; consulting Archives employees; using a reading room; and requesting copies of documents. But the advent of the Internet has revolutionized archival services, allowing Canadian family historians to access the sources of their past without even leaving their homes. A growing number of collections are no available online on our Web site. These include indexes to the 1871 Ontario Census; a list of home children, the more than 100,000 children sent to Canada from Great Britain between 1869 and 1930; immigration records from 1925 to 1935, showing such events as ship arrivals at halifax's Pier 21; a list of post offices and postmasters since 1851; and a list of the men and women who served with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in the First World War. As well, a detailed guide to aboriginal records is in progress, and the digitization of the 1901 Canadian Census is underway. The Archives also produces a hundy (and fredd) guide to genealogy and family history, called "Tracing your Ancestors in Canada", available both online and as a hard-copy publication. THE CANADIAN GENEALOGY CENTRE The National Archives, in co-operation with Canadian Heritage, is also developing an new initiative to better serve Canadian genealogists: The Canadian Genealogy Centre. Theis Centre will offer services, advice and research tools in both official languages; it will also serve as a portal to all genealogical resources held in Canada using the community-building power of the Internet. It will resond to the rising demand for seamless access to genealogical services and digitized collections. Genealogists, who make up a large part of the National Archives' clientele, will hve so much to choose from! This ambitious project will be carried out over three years. there are already plans to start up a Web site in the fall of 2002, when Canada's first national genealogy conference will be held. In establishing the Canadian Genealogy Centre, the Archives will be working in partnership with other archives, libraries and historical societies. The Archives will also hold many consultations with its target clientele to ensure that the Centre meets the needs of geographically dispersed Canadians to access records and services across Canada. ============================== These two articles demonstrate that not all government departments are following the dictates of Statistics Canada. We look forward to the early addition of the 1906 Census and the orderly addition and release of all subsequent Census records in accordance with Regulation 6(d) of the Privacy Act. We look forward also to the Report of Environics Research Group on the Town Hall Meetings and Focus Groups regarding public access to the 1906 and 1911 Census Records. That Report was to be presented to Statistics Canada by 15 February 2002. We will be looking for it to be made available to the public and have given notice to Statistics Canada that if it is not released within thirty days of receipt I will be submitting an Access to Information Request for it. Happy Hunting. Gordon A. Watts gordon_watts@telus.net Co-Chair, Canada Census Committee Port Coquitlam, BC http://globalgenealogy.com/Census en français http://globalgenealogy.com/Census/Index_f.htm Permission to forward without notice is granted.