Greetings all. I copy here FYI my letter to the editor of the Calgary Herald in response to the article reported in my previous message. Permission to forward without notification is granted. Gordon ============================= Editor, Calgary Herald I would like to think the headline of Joe Woodward's excellent article of 23 December 2000 is true. (Census data available to public after 92 years - Calgary Herald page A6). As it stands however, at this time public access to Historic Census is not a certainty. While the report of the Expert Panel on Access to Historic Census recommends that Public access to past, present, and future Census records be allowed 92 years after collection, this is by no means a fait accompli. The 15 December 2000 press release of Industry Minister Brian Tobin that accompanied the release of the Report of the Expert Panel, in referring to the recommendations of the Panel, stated: ".......... the Minister indicated that 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" The Minister obviously has no intention to follow through on the recommendations of the Expert Panel. The legislative review of the Access to Information and Privacy Acts could likely take several months, or even years to complete. Debate regarding public access to Historic Census has been going on since the early 1970s. As one of the leaders of the campaign on the Internet to obtain Public Access to Historic Census Records I am aware of at least four studies or reports since then, excluding the current Report of the Expert Panel, that call for allowing Public access to these records. Thirty years of discussion is more than sufficient - it is time now to act on the recommendations and allow public access to Historic Census. Those interested in further information, including downloadable petitions, can access the Post 1901 Census Project website located at <http://www.globalgenalogy.com/census>. Thank you Gordon A. WATTS gordon_watts@bc.sympatico.ca Port Coquitlam, BC Keep up to date on Post 1901 Census information at http://www.globalgenealogy.com/census/index.htm Join the CANADA CENSUS CAMPAIGN List at CANADA-CENSUS-CAMPAIGN-L-request@rootsweb.com Read my Post 1901 Census column in the Global Gazette http://www.globalgenealogy.com/gazette.htm