----- Original Message ----- From: Gordon A. WATTS <gordon_watts@telus.net> To: White, Pamela - DACS/SACD <pamela.white@statcan.ca> Sent: Tuesday, 20 June, 2000 2:05 PM Subject: Re: Survey re: Access to Historic Census Dear Dr. White. In response to my email to you of 2 May 2000, asking questions regarding the Environics Survey regarding Access to Historic Census, you sent the email below indicating that you expected the report of this survey would be available on the Expert Panel site at statcan.ca. To date I have been unable to find any reference to this report. Please advise if this report has been posted to a website, and if so, please advise also the URL for same. If the report has not been posted to the statcan.ca website, please provide me with the URLs for the National Library and Library of Parliament you mention in you first reply of 3 May 2000. Being as this day the print media has been making reference to this report I am quite anxious to view it. I am hopeful that this report includes not just the conclusions reached, but the questions asked as well. Responses to surveys can be easily swayed not only by the questions asked, but the manner in which they are asked as well. In my email of 2 May 2000, I asked you for confirmation that my submission, titled "The Myths of Census" had been received by the members of the Expert Panel. I did not receive that confirmation and would ask again that you provide it. I look forward to your speedy reply. Thank you. Gordon A. WATTS gordon_watts@telus.net ----- Original Message ----- From: White, Pamela - DACS/SACD <pamela.white@statcan.ca> To: 'Gordon A. WATTS' <gordon_watts@telus.net> Cc: <RVanLoon@pigeon.carleton.ca> Sent: Wednesday, 03 May, 2000 7:03 AM Subject: Survey re: Access to Historic Census Mr Watts: In response to your email received today, I have already sent a response regarding the survey. Concerning the report of the Expert Panel, the most efficient and economical way to distribute the report will be through the Internet. I expect that it will be available on the Expert Panel site at statcan.ca. Yours sincerely, Pamela White -----Original Message----- From: Gordon A. WATTS [mailto:gordon_watts@telus.net] Sent: May 3, 2000 12:56 AM To: pamela.white@stcinet.statcan.ca Cc: RVanLoon@pigeon.carleton.ca Subject: Survey re: Access to Historic Census Dr. Pamela White, Secretary Expert Panel on Access to Historical Census Records Dear Dr. White. I was recently advised regarding a survey conducted on Access to Historic Census records. On contacting the company that did the survey, Environics Research Group Ltd., in order to find out how, on whose behalf the survey was conducted, what questions were asked, and the results of the survey, etc., I was advised to contact yourself and Dr. Van Loon. (see my original email and the response below). As one of the leaders of the campaign on the Internet to obtain Access to Historic Census records I am very interested in any such surveys, the method by which they are conducted, and the results thereof. It has been my experience that not only are the questions asked in a survey important, but the manner in which they are asked may be even more important. I would appreciate anything that you might be able to tell me about this survey and it's results. At such time as the Expert Panel brings down their report on Access to Historic Census I would be very interested in obtaining a copy of it. Could you please advise me how I might accomplish this. Should it be available by mail, my address is Gordon A. WATTS 1455 Delia Drive Port Coquitlam, BC V3C 2V9 My submission to the Expert Panel, titled "The Myths of Census" was delivered to Statistics Canada during a period that you were absent. Mary Ledoux advised me of receipt of my submission and that she would see the members of the Expert Panel received it as soon as possible. A copy was sent for each of the panel members. Could you please confirm that they were in fact received by the panel members. Thank you. Gordon A. WATTS gordon_watts@telus.net <mailto:gordon_watts@telus.net> Port Coquitlam, BC ICQ # 9183352 _____ ----- Original Message ----- From: Donna Dasko < donna_dasko@environics.ca To: < gordon_watts@telus.net Cc: 'Richard_VanLoon' < RVanLoon@pigeon.carleton.ca 'White, Pamela - DACS/SACD' pamela.white@statcan.ca Sent: Tuesday, 02 May, 2000 7:08 AM Subject: FW: Survey re: Access to Historic Census Dear Mr. Watts, For information about public opinion research on the topic of access to historical records, I would ask you to contact Dr. Richard Van Loon, President of Carleton University, who is Chair of the expert panel that is investigating this topic, or Pamela White, at Statistics Canada. They are both copied on this message. Thank you kindly. Donna Dasko, Ph.D. Senoir Vice-President Environics Research Group Ltd. _____ -----Original Message----- From: Gordon A. WATTS gordon_watts@telus.net <mailto:gordon_watts@telus.net> Sent: Friday, April 28, 2000 1:02 PM To: research@environics.ca <mailto:research@environics.ca> Subject: Survey re: Access to Historic Census Environics Research Dear Sir or Ms. I have just been advised that your company recently conducted a survey relating to public access to Historic Census in Canada. The name I was given to contact was Joe Borge at 416-920-3506. As I am a pensioner on a fixed income I have chosen to contact you via email and save the long distance charges. I am one of the leaders of a campaign on the Internet, the purpose of which is to obtain access to the Public, after a reasonable period of time, of Post 1901 Census records. As such I am very interested in knowing about any surveys regarding Census. It is my understanding that this survey took 45 minutes to one hour to complete over the telephone. If possible could you please advise me regarding the following: By whom was the survey commissioned? I understand that you may not be able to tell me this because of privacy concerns and this is not my primary interest. What geographic area was covered by the survey? Was it limited to a specific area, or was it conducted throughout all of Canada? What were the numbers of respondents to the survey? Was the survey conducted specifically on this subject, or was Census just a small part of a larger survey? What were the questions asked, and how were they put to the survey respondents? Were they worded in such a way to elicit a predetermined response? I would very much like to see the questions asked. What were the conclusions reached by your survey? To what degree of accuracy are your surveys normally credited? I look forward to your response at your earliest convenience. Thank you. Gordon A. WATTS gordon_watts@telus.net <mailto:gordon_watts@telus.net> 1455 Delia Drive Port Coquitlam, BC V3C 2V9 Tel. (604) 942-6889 Fax. (604) 942-6843