For the record this letter was sent yesterday by mail to Ottawa and by hand to the constituency office in Cowansville. Would any other residents in Brome-Missisquoi care to comment. I notice the name of Fred Vickerson from Mansonville Que, who is in the same riding and might have thoughts on this letter ??? If desired, respond to> [email protected] Mr Denis Paradis May 16, 2003 Suite 353, West Block House of Commons Ottawa, Ont. K1A 0A6 Dear Sir Subject: Census Records I know that things take time in Ottawa but there is a situation that requires some immediate and specific attention. I received on March 25th, 2003 your undated letter that was in reply to mine of January 9, 2003 on the issue of census records. Bill S-13 is working its way through the senate and will soon be in the House for debate and approval by the elected body of this nation. What the Senate appears unable or unlikely to do is accept to enact the amendments presented by the citizens of Canada. What the House of Commons must do therefore is listen to the people of Canada and make some specific changes to the bill before it is approved. Did you know that until bureaucratic interference the census of Canada and Canadians was delivered after 92 years to the National Archives?. Did you know that without any legal authority this was aborted by Bureaucratic interference? I remind you, that Bill C 312 to which you agreed in the 1st session of the 37 legislature, on or about September 26th, 2000 in Summery said "The enactment expressly authorizes the transfer of all census records from Statistics Canada to the National Archives of Canada for permanent safekeeping. It gives access to the records to genealogists and other researchers 92 years after the census, subject to a privacy right it creates that allows individuals to object to the disclosure of personal information in the census records. I must state that to be allowed , means that one is permitted. Bill S-13 is trying to change that to mean that no one is allowed if permission is not given. Refer to clause #8, Informed Consent, which is an OPT-IN clause, not an OPT-OUT clause. This is the reverse of what was agreed to in Bill C-312. Clause #8 in Bill S-13 cannot be allowed to stand. Likewise the 20-Year nondisclosure clause is another one that does not meet with the original intent of Bill-C 312 in respect to the period of 92 years after the census. In effect it extends this another 20 years. This is Bureaucratic intervention by Statistics Canada. As such it is imperative that this clause be discarded and removed. As I stated in may letter to you of August 24, 2001 (which went unanswered) it is estimated that some 7,500,000 Canadians are involved in Genealogical research and as such depend heavily upon information provided in Census reports. Many thousands have signed petitions that have been sent to the Government requesting complete access to Census reports after 92 years and are counting heavily that the House will listen and act accordingly. Reports paid for by the citizens and reports completed by the citizens, those very same people that do not get the opportunity to vote for their senators but do have the proxy with respect to their député. The urgency of this matter can not be overstated. Sincerely Dennis King 32 Fielding Lac Brome, J0E-1V0 450-242-1474 c/c to Cowansville office: All outgoing mail has been scanned by NORTON anti virus. All outgoing mail has been scanned by NORTON anti virus.