(Crest) House of Commons Chambre des Communes Canada JULIAN REED, M.P. Halton June 16, 2000 Mrs. Muriel M. Davidson 25 Crestview Avenue BRAMPTON, Ontario L6W 2R8 Dear Muriel: I want to end the interpretation that I was undecided regarding the release of post-1901 census records to the National Archives. I have tried to make it clear to everyone that under the present situation, I consider it rather foolhardy to release information earlier because of its impact on the people answering current census questions. The whole business of the confidentiality of information has come to the fore recently when the Ministry of Human Resources Development, commonly known as HRDC, has been castigated for assembling information, however confidential. I suggested to all those who wrote in to me that if they could propose a way to do it without running those risks, please let me know. There are some things people would rather remain buried about their family history. I am sure you have no skeletons in your closet but I am not so sure about mine. Anyway, you can appreciate the dilemna. If that gets me a green fence award, so be it. Kindest regards, Sincerely, Julian Reed, M.P. OTTAWA OFFICE:- 208 Wellington Bldg., House of Commons, Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6 tel: (613)996-7046; fax: (613) 992-0851; e-mail: reedj@parl.gc.ca website: www.julianreed.on.ca CONSTITUENCY OFFICE:- 14 Martin Street, Milton, ON L9T 2P9 tel: (905) 875-3393; 1-800-363-6178; fax: (905) 875-1060; e-mail: reedj@stn.net ================================= Dear Julian:- Many thanks for your letter, and I do agree HRDC did assemble too much information. I was shocked when I learned what Jane Stewart had put together about me - bank accounts, car, van, investments, etc. However, the various departments have picked off all the data that has been needed for their usage -- from 1906 to 1996 -- family members have been unable to research their family histories, with or without skeletons. As for these, back in 1906 and 1911, those were different times and they were different people -- I do not mind anyone knowing I have found a few bare bones (or twigs) in my family tree. Should legislation be passed to release census records to National Archives, where they are safely stored, the general public would not be able to view these records until 2003. The 1906 census of three prairie provinces should have been released in 1998. By the way, grab your copy of THE MYTHS OF CENSUS as researched by Gordon Watts, sit under a shady tree and read!! This document was sent to all Members of Parliament -- has nothing to do with HRDC, can be found at either: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Farm/7843/poll.html http://www.waynecook.com/simcoe.shtml Also, MEMORANDUM OF LAW by Lois Sparling. Julian, we will have to see which award Gordon Watts gives you http://www.globalgenealogy.com/census/index6.htm The Blue ??? really means "ones who have not written". As ever, Muriel <davidson3542@home.com>