Hi Bonnie:- Many thanks for the copy of your letter to Hon. John Manley re census release. IF ALL family researchers, not just the ones being paid professionally, but the ordinary person looking for family clues and answers, would write to the Hon. John Manley -- I am certain he would be impressed. Governmental sources state more than 7.5 million historians and genealogists live in Canada, plus the extra ones often searching for just one or more facts. Senator Lorna Milne, in one speech, added the little extra bits resulting from genealogy:- "Tourism, film for cameras, sale of books, plus many other results of one of the fastest growing hobbies in Canada and the world". Then we add to this number the Non-Canadian people, all with Canadian ancestry -- the number becomes staggering. Sincerely hope you receive a positive answer, Muriel M. Davidson <davidson3542@home.com> ================================== Bonnie Bileski wrote: > Muriel > > Following is a copy of my letter to Mr. Manley about post-1901 Census followed > > by a response. > > Thank you for the valuable work you are doing on behalf of all genealogists > and historians in Canada and around the world. > > Bonnie Bileski > Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada > -----Original Message----- > From: Bonnie Bileski <bokeda@pangea.ca> > To: Manley.J@parl.gc.ca <Manley.J@parl.gc.ca> > Date: August 19, 2000 8:08 AM > Subject: Post 1901 census > > Sir > > This letter is to request the release of the post 1901 Census. As our > family historian and genealogist, it is impossible to continue further > without this valuable family history. > > If for whatever reason it cannot be released in its entire context, then > would it not be possible to release the names, birth dates and occupations? > > Genealogy is a hobby that is growing rapidly and without this important > data it will become impossible to continue research in Canada. Through the > Census I have been able to locate several hundred living descendants. In > May I travelled to Ontario where I met 41 newly found relatives. We are > attempting to write our family history and several family members have now > joined the research. They are so interested in this work and each one has > contributed family photos, copies of old letters and other memorabilia. As > I find new information I share it with each of them. We have a newsletter > and I have had several of these people visit me in Winnipeg. > > Besides making people aware of their history this hobby also generates > considerable economic spin-off. In my own case, I have spent many > thousands of dollars on this exciting hobby and quest to find family > information. In each instance of personal introduction, I have received a > warm welcome and the interest is growing within our own family. > I hope you will consider this matter seriously as it affects so many > people, genealogy societies, libraries and archives. > > Yours truly, > > Bonnie Bileski > Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada > ==================== > Reply:- > Your e-mail of August 19, 2000, to the Honourable John Manley, Minister > Responsible for Statistics Canada, on the subject of release of the > post-1901 census records has been passed to Statistics Canada for > response. > > There has been considerable public debate and interest on the part of > genealogists, historians and archivists who had expected that the 1911 > census records would be publicly available in 2003, 92 years after the > taking of the census. Recognizing the importance of historical research > but also taking into account the privacy concerns of Canadians, Minister > Manley created an Expert Panel on Access to Historical Census Records to > provide independent, expert advice on the legal, privacy and archival > implications of releasing historical census records. > > The Expert Panel delivered its report to the Minister at the end of June > 2000. For further information about the Panel, please visit the > Statistics Canada's web site at www.statcan.ca > > Dr. Pamela White > 25th Floor, R.H. Coats Building > Ottawa, Ontario > K1A 0T6 > (613) 951-3255 > e-mail: expert.panel_comite.experts@statcan.ca > >