During the campaign of the past six years we have always advocated contacting the media and sending letters to the editor. The problem is that for the most part the media have ignored our efforts and do not view it as newsworthy. That is not to say that we should not continue trying to get their attention. Go for it. Gordon ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ronald Chester" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, May 30, 2003 7:54 AM Subject: [CCC] RE: [CCC] OPEN LETTER TO THE RIGHT HON. JEAN CRÉTIEN, PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA I think that a copy of this letter should be sent as an open letter to all the newspapers. What say you? Ron -----Original Message----- From: joseph macdonald [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2003 11:08 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [CCC] OPEN LETTER TO THE RIGHT HON. JEAN CRÉTIEN, PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA Dear Right Hon. Jean Crétien, Prime Minister of Canada, WOW! 90 million dollars for a Canada History Centre. In Ottawa where the vast majority of Canadians have never been. Did the Gov't invite any of the ordinary Canadians who have written thousands of letters to you Prime Minister, the MPs and Senators for the 'Release of the Post 1901 Census after 92 yrs of closure? Did they receive an engraved personal invitation? ... Not likely! Why? Could it be Prime Minister, you would have got a real sense of what Canada is all about? Instead of dismissing as criticism, and accusing the Alliance of being short-sighted. "I now know why the Alliance is going nowhere, because they have absolutely no sense of what Canada is all about," you said. Have you lost sight of the Canadian people? No doubt Prime Minister you are well aware of Canada's Political History. Do they really need this monument to pat themselves on the back? When so many Canadians are being dismissed for just trying to get by in life and others trying to preserve their Canadian heritage, for their descendants. How about a monument to the millions of UNKNOWN CANADIANS? Their names are housed in the Statistics Bureau of Canada. Think of the millions of dollars, Prime Minister you could save the Canadian taxpayer. Nothing elaborate, just a man, woman and child in neck-irons attached to a chain with a padlock on it at the doors of Statistics Canada. For there Prime Minister is where the vast majority of the names of our ancestors are stored on census records. It is there where Statistics Canada wants to keep them, with limits and restrictions on access. It is there where Statscan wants to sever the ties of future Canadians with their past. It is there from which sprang the roots of the illustrious Bill S-13 (passed in the Senate on May 27, 2003). It already had its first reading in the House of Commons (May 28, 2003). A bill made to order for Statistics Canada to manipulate the present generations to help Statistics Canada to deny Canadians, their past, present and future with Clause 8 in Bill S-13 'Amendment to the Statistics Act:' "(8) The information contained in the returns of any census of population taken in 2006 or later may, starting ninety-two years after the census is taken, be examined by anyone if the person to whom the information relates had, at the time of the census, "given their consent to disclosure" of that information." My "8 reasons" for the removal of this clause or change its wording are still the same as they were on my submission paper to the Senate Standing Committee, which you have a copy of along with earlier correspondence date April 17th, 2003, which I will enclose here once again for reference: 1. Statistics Canada by including a 'consent of disclosure', would be permitted to discriminate against the very people they require information from. This would permit them to ask far more intrusive questions than they already do. If I do not agree with the question that they are asking, I am still compelled by law to fill in the census form. 2. It would take away the 'historical value' of the census. It would permit Canadians to deny access to anyone including their children from accessing and taking pride in who they are, their families are and their Heritage as well as being a Canadian. Many Canadians that pursue genealogical and historical research, came to a greater understanding of the country by learning about their own history first. I don't think that you would find in this country prouder Canadians anywhere than those among the genealogical and historical community. 3. Future Governments of Canada would be severely hampered by such a clause. People would become more distrustful of a Government. Especially one that was telling them the Government had a right to know, yet they could deny their own families the same right. It would also open the Government to be run by those who's only interest is Greed and Power and not the true interests and welfare of Canadians. 4. By permitting a 'consent of disclosure,' great expense would be incurred by the Government. At present census forms are delivered to each home, they are filled out by the head of the household, for everyone living within the household unit. 'A disclosure clause would require Statistics Canada to deliver to every individual in Canada a census form. If not disharmony would be caused in each household by giving the right to one individual to decide for the occupants of that particular household whether or not to be included. Such expenses would occur in the doubling if not tripling the amount of censuses presently needed, and the printers cost. Extra staff having to be hired at Statistics Canada do to increased work load. 5. Businesses and Industries that now hire Statistics Canada to do research for them, would fine this clause immensely pleasing to them as the more personal questions that are on the census, the less it would cost them to do their own research or hire Statistics Canada to do it for them. 6. A 'consent to disclosure,' is downright UN-CANADIAN. I was born in this country, my roots are in this country. I have chosen freely to remain in this country. I am part of Canada, and it's my heritage. Immigrants that have come to this country and made it their home, and choose to remain here are part of Canada and it's heritage. Now Statistics Canada wants to give us (those born here) and them (immigrants) an option of whether or not they want to be included as part of Canada's heritage. The only people who have a right to choose NOT to be a part of Canada's heritage are those of other countries who choose NOT TO COME HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE. 7. I am left wondering, "What right does Statistics Canada have contemplating asking such private questions starting in 2006, that I would deny disclosure of those answers, 92 years later?" 8. Statistics Canada is bound by the oath of Secrecy, not to reveal the information contained on a census, that could possibly identify any particular individual at the present time. I respect that. After 92 years the censuses are turned over to the National Archives and should come under their authority. Statistics Canada should not however be given the right to possibly cause a fragmentation of Canada's heritage, by including ' a right to deny disclosure clause' on any census after 92 years. I have nothing against your Canada History Centre, displaying Canada's political history, just as long as it shows ALL "the Good, the Bad and the Ugly." BUT! If Bill S-13 'An Act to Amend the Statistics Act,' goes through and becomes law as presently worded, I do think a monument to the UNKNOWN CANADIANS in front of the Statistics Dept. would be more appropriate as a legacy. Sincerely Juanita MacDonald Whycocomagh, N.S. Canada, B0E 3M0 cc: The Canada Census Campaign. <[email protected]> The National Post. <[email protected]> ==== CANADA-CENSUS-CAMPAIGN Mailing List ==== Keep up to date on Post 1901 Census Issues at http://globalgenealogy.com/Census/ en français http://globalgenealogy.com/Census/Index_f.htm ==== CANADA-CENSUS-CAMPAIGN Mailing List ==== How to unsubscribe from Mail 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.