Dear Muriel; Thank for your note. I very much appreciate your kind words of congratulations. Regarding the release of census data I would expect that I will be receiving a gold check mark in the next few days from the website you mentioned. Our party critic Mr. James Rajotte has been doing a great deal of work on this matter, and I notice he has a gold check beside his name on the web page. I appreciate knowing your views on this issue and am pleased to be given the opportunity of providing you with our position. The Conservative Party supports the preservation of census records and the subsequent transfer of these records to the National Archives for public release. We believe that keeping the records confidential for the historical 92-year period is an adequate length of time, and that this is generally consistent with the practice in Britain and the United States, where records are kept confidential for 100 and 72 years respectively. However, the Conservative Party did not support the census legislation tabled in 2003 in the House of Commons (S-13 An Act to Amend the Statistics Act). S-13 is flawed as it will allow limited access to "tombstone" census information after 92 years. Full access to census records will only be allowed after 112 years. We believe S-13 further complicates matters by allowing access after 92 years only to designated individuals. The designation process will result in a complicated bureaucracy, added costs and the question of who will police the census. Let me assure you that we will continue to examine the release of census material and will take into consideration the concerns of those most affected by this matter when reviewing any relevant legislation. Sincerely, Gary Schellenberger, M.P. Perth-Wellington Room 368, Confederation Building House of Commons Ottawa, Canada K1A 0A6 (613) 992 6124 =============== To Mr. Gary Schellenberger, MP - Perth-Wellington riding:- Congratulations on your election in the Perth-Wellington riding. We sincerely hope you will be in agreement with the following. Canadians, assisted by people of other countries, have been working since March 1999 for the release of the 1911 census records, which were scheduled to have been released June 1, 2003. Census records are not only necessary when searching for family members, but these were also the last records enumerated before World War One. To date we have both 1901 and 1906 online, the latter of three provinces http://automatedgenealogy.com/ If you check you will notice only basic details are given - no private data.The microfiche copies will contain more, and I learned my grandfather earned $1600.00 in 1901 -- not much by today's standards. The Canada Census Committee have a scoreboard -- you are on http://www.globalgenealogy.com/Census/Score3.htm#ON At present we do not have an existing census release bill, but are collecting petitions -- see http://www.globalgenealogy.com/Census/ Sincerely hope you will exchange the Blue ? for a Gold tick meaning YES. If not, we request you give us your reasons - 92 years is long enough. Muriel M. Davidson muriel_davidson@sympatico.ca Co-Chair, Canada Census Committee 25 Crestview Avenue, Brampton, ON L6W 2R8 http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~downhome/post1901census.htm --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.718 / Virus Database: 474 - Release Date: 7/9/04