To all:- On behalf of the committee members of the Canada Census Committee, a sincere Happy New Year is wished for all listers and families. We have come a long way since March 1999, are able to look back on various milestones, e.g. the long-awaited Report of the Expert Panel. We must thank Gordon Watts for this final release -- Gordon filed TWO (2) Access To Information requests -- nothing from the first. As requests must be filled/answered by 90 days, would you believe Gordon heard on Day 89!!! He will give us more re the Report later! An election got in our way - so new Private Member's Bills and petitions must be re-done, the PMBs by Senator Lorna Milne and Murray Calder, MP. GROUPS have become interested in census records release, and we welcome all, regardless of the groups. To date I have yet to receive a Senate petition from Ontario Genealogical Society, especially the Halton-Peel group, of which Senator Milne is a long-time member. When one checks the Scoreboard of the Quebec MPs, it looks like the Atlantic Ocean on a beautiful sunny day! However, this could be changing very shortly, with more than one bilingual committee member. NEWSPAPERS are being contacted -- Letters to the Editor are welcomed. Very possibly, WATERLOO UNIVERSITY may have a large petition -- my only grandson returned there today for his pre-med studies, armed with addresses for petition and scoreboard. He surprised me with one question, "How many sheets of 25 names are allowed on one petition?" You may be certain I told him as many as he could staple together!!! Parliament resumes January 29, 2001 -- this is NOT the deadline for petitions. Senator Lorna Milne likes to do a wee bit of ADVERTISING (for want of a better explanation) prior to presenting her Private Member's Bill. So far she has not given us any date of presentation or number of her PMB, but we will keep all informed. If Senator Milne has petitions, she will mention these -- thus leading up to the actual presentation. LETTERS OF SUPPORT FROM YOUR MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT -- these are great, if on letterhead. Please contact me re subject and tone of letter then I will tell you what to do with the letter. Gordon Watts likes to add something on the MPs Message board - either Lorna or Murray would be able to use the signed letters as proof of support from the House. YOUR MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT? Many may not have one -- if you did not vote, federally, with voting average about 30%. You are very welcome to write to any MP -- and after all, he/she will not know you were unable to vote, due to illness, work, etc. Gordon Watts will be home by Jan. 7, 2001 -- the front page of the petition has to have some changes, LINKS have to be made, UPDATES to numbers of those with YES, NO, FENCE or ???? Should anyone find problems with e-mail addresses of Members of Parliament please notify us. However, before you send the e-mail, print a copy, sign it in your handwriting, mail with FREE postage to:- Name of Member/House of Commons/Parliament Bldgs./Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6 We need lots of changes on the politician's scoreboard -- they will be voting! Muriel M. Davidson <davidson3542@home.com> Canada Census Committee