David As you urge others to "read again the exact wording of Bill S-13" so would I urge you to do likewise. You are mistaken in stating that "an additional 20 years are to be added to the 92 years of waiting before the census data will be released, making a total of 112 years". For genealogists or historians willing to commit to the "undertaking" the records will be accessible, without restriction, "starting 92 years after the Census is taken". It is not ACCESS to the records that is restricted for the additional twenty years. You will have full access to the records. What is restricted is a portion of the information gleaned from Census that MAY NOT BE DISCOSED to other persons. So you cannot DISCLOSE part of that information to others -- simply tell them where to find it instead. Clause (7) states that for Censuses between 1910 and 2003, after 112 years ANYONE may access the records, whether they be a genealogist, historian, race-horse jockey, plumber, or whatever. You are correct that Bill S-13 does not refer to "tombstone information" -- that is a term that was used by Industry Minister Allan Rock (?) in a partial "backgrounder" released to the press along with the press release announcing the bringing down of Bill S-13. It is a term that was used by Ivan Fellegi in testimony before the Senate Committee. It is a poor term, but it is not one that was coined by us. S-13 does not refer to check boxes nor does it refer to 'informed consent'. These are merely 'shorthand' references to Clause (8) that states "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." Clause 8 is, in fact, an 'informed consent' clause and such clauses on forms are typically accompanied by yes or no check boxes, or a place for a signature. Genealogists wishing to access the records after 92 years are NOT subject to approval by anyone. That provision affects only persons wishing to "conduct historical research". I do not know of anyone who approves of Bill S-13 AS CURRENTLY WORDED, with all the conditions and restrictions it imposes. If you beleive that we who have been leading the Census campaign like S-13 as it is presently worded you have missed reading a great many posts on this list. From the time S-13 was brought down I have urged listers to contact their elected and appointed parliamentarians to voice their objections to the conditions and restrictions impose by the Bill. I have urged all listers to ask the parliamentarians to propose and support amendments to remove those conditions and restrictions. It is all well and good to complain about the Bill on the list, and that is part of the purpose of the CCC list, but you must also make your complaints know to the politicians. I have stated many times that IF WE DO NOTHING, BILL S-13 WILL PASS EXACTLY AS WORDED, WITH ALL THE CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS INTACT. I have been doing everything I can to see changes made to the Bill. Have you? Happy Hunting. Gordon ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Rowat" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, May 27, 2003 10:16 PM Subject: [CCC] Lynton Stewart I'm sorry to see that Bill Stewart has been removed from the List. Of all the arguments expressed by many people on the subject of Bill S-13, his were the the most coherent and logical, and he was one of the few people who made any sense. He reminded me of the little boy who had the temerity to exclaim that the Emperor was not wearing any clothes. I urge everyone to read again the exact wording of Bill S-13, An Act to amend the Statistics Act. You will find no mention of "tombstone information", or short forms or long forms. There is no mention of opt-in or opt-out checkboxes either. These topics are mentioned in Senator Milne's presentation of the bill to the Senate, but the actual words of the bill itself say something different. I can see in the words of the bill that an additional 20 years are to be added to the 92 years of waiting before the census data will be released, making a total of 112 years. Anyone wishing to examine the census in those last 20 years must first demonstrate that his "historical research project" has some public and scientific value. The approval of the project will be by persons to be determined later, and the applicant will be required to sign an undertaking "in the form prescribed by regulation", whatever that means. Do not assume anything is in this bill unless it is written there, and think carefully about what it does say. This bill does absolutely nothing for genealogy and to call it "flawed" is to be charitable. In the words of Lynton Stewart, anyone who supports this bill should be ashamed. David Rowat ==== CANADA-CENSUS-CAMPAIGN Mailing List ==== Read Gordon A. Watts' column on Post 1901 Census issues at http://globalgazette.net