It is quite clear that this Senator doesn't understand much about the Bill. Dan Walker "Muriel M. Davidson" wrote: > THE SENATE OF CANADA [CREST] LE SÉNATE DU CANADA > The Hon. Joan Fraser L'hon. Joan Fraser > Ottawa > K1A 0A4 > > May 6, 2003 > > Mrs. Muriel Davidson > Co-Chair, Canada Census Committee > 25 Crestview Avenue > Brampton, Ontario > L6W 2R8 > > Dear Mrs. Davidson: > > Thank you for your letter regarding Bill S-13. > > I am sympathetic to your position. I was at the meeting where the > Social Affairs committee reviewed the bill clause-by-clause. Indeed, > I would have supported amendments in committee, but was outvoted. > > This being said, Senator Milne's third reading speech in the Senate > Chamber on April 30th really impressed upon me that perhaps the > bill was best left as it was. She told Senators about Senator Lowell > Murray's characterization of the bill as being a delicately framed > balance that should not be disturbed. Just listening to the questions > and comments following her speech made me realize just how divisive > this issue still is. As there is no clear concensus on the release of > census data versus the right to privacy, I believe that the balance > achieved allows both sides to go away winners. And I don't think > that's so bad. > > Thank you again for writing. I would note that your fight does not end > in the Senate. The bill will move on to the House of Commons, where > you will have the opportunity once again to influence the lawmakers. > I wish you luck with your work in this matter. > > Sincerely, > > Senator Joan Fraser > ================= > http://www.globalgenealogy.com/Census/Senscore3.htm#PQ > > Senator Joan Fraser supported Senator Milne's Bill S-15, in 2001. > > --- > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > Version: 6.0.481 / Virus Database: 277 - Release Date: 5/13/03 > > ==== CANADA-CENSUS-CAMPAIGN Mailing List ==== > How to unsubscribe from Digest Mode. Send a message to > [email protected] that contains > (in the Subject line and body of the message) the command > -- unsubscribe -- and no additional text.

I suspect that Senator Fraser is telling exactly the truth. Based upon the arguement set forth regarding Bill S-13, she supports it as is. I have followed the posted material about the debate. The support for any form of amendment in the Senate has been tepid, at best. Not one person, especially the Senator sponsoring the bill, has made any kind of real arguement as to why it should be amended. It is all generalities, and placation of the opposition. READ the stuff that has been posted. Go and look at the Hansard Index. Find out what your Senator is saying, if anything. Read the actual "arguement" and find out what is actually being said. I suspect that a good many of the people on this list would get very angry if they read every word that Senator Milne has actually said about this bill in the Senate. There is virtually no chance at all that this bill will ever be amended to any significant degree. The government will not allow any significant amendments. Look at how this was ramrodded through the Senate. It will be the same thing in the House. Why doesn't someone directly ask either Jeff Paul or Senator Milne, "Exactly how much of an amendment will the Government allow, before they withdraw their support for this bill? Will they allow an "Opt Out" clause on future censuses? Will they allow an ammendment that would eliminate the 20 year period of time before full disclosure of census data is allowed?" See if you get an honest answer to those specific questions. They are at the heart of what is wrong with Bill S-13. I will predict that you will never get an honest and direct answer to those questions. If you do, you will be told that no significant changes can be made to any of those areas. But what I expect you will get are what we call, "weasel words". Not a direct answer, but a lot of manure about the legislative process, etc. Because I have been so outspoken about this bill, I have been informed that at least one member of the Government will no longer support my quest to resume my Canadian Citizenship. So be it. It was my understanding that Canada has freedom of speech. It sppears, that some people in the Government do not really believe in the concept. I will not be stilled. Bill S-13 is a very bad bill. It will restrict all of our access to Canadian Censuses during our lifetimes. Unfortunately, it will virtually totally cut our grandchildren and great-grandchildren off from all Census data from 2006 onward. ===== Lynton (Bill) Stewart A former dual Canadian and U.S. Citizen, who's Canadian Citizenship was automatically stripped away without any notice, due to the fact that I was born prior to 1947. My siblings born after that date get to resume their Canadian Citizenship. I do not have that same right. Searching for Moore, McLennan, Peers, Stewart, Thompson in NS;. Black, Foulds, Johnston and Stewart in MB; Provorse, Wright in ON, and Black, Foulds & Stewart in SK & BC.