Dear Greg. Thank you for your prompt, positive response to my email of 15 June 2000, and your statement that you would "have no problem voting for any of the Private Member's Bills or Senate Bills concerning the census issue." It is much appreciated. I will be changing your "Fence" on the MP Scoreboard to a "Gold Tick" While I am aware that Murray Calder's Bill C-484 must yet be picked in the draw to be eligible for debate in the House, I would advise that Jason Kenney's Motion M-160 was deemed votable and has received two of the three allotted hours of debate in the House. The third hour of debate was scheduled for last week but was unfortunately bumped because of the extended debate on Bill C-11 - the dissolution of Devco. As things stand now, M-160 will likely not receive it's third hour of debate until the fall. Thank you once again for your support in this matter. Gordon A. WATTS gordon_watts@telus.net Port Coquitlam, BC ICQ # 9183352 Keep up to date on Post 1901 Census information at http://www.globalgenealogy.com/census and http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Farm/7843/poll.html Download and circulate Post 1901 Census Petitions now from http://www.globalgenealogy.com/census/petition.htm ----- Original Message ----- From: Thompson, Greg - M.P. <Thompson.G@parl.gc.ca> To: 'Gordon A. WATTS' <gordon_watts@telus.net> Sent: Friday, 16 June, 2000 8:54 AM Subject: RE: How will you vote? Dear Gordon As I have already stated to Muriel Davidson who is a friend of mine, I would have no problem voting for any of the Private Member's Bills or Senate Bills concerning the census issue. I understand that Mr. Kenny's Motion and Mr. Calder's Bill have been introduced in the House and have not been picked in the draw and so we have no way of knowing when or if they will become law. Senator Milne's Bill is at second reading we know it will go to committee and have third reading, but have no way of knowing if it will then be moved to the House of Commons or not or even if it will be voted on. Because this process seems to be taking so long I have been in contact on a regular basis with Minister Manley, the Chief Statistician Mr. Fellegi and the Parliamentary Liaison to Stats Can Joanne Beckstead. I am told that the Panel Mr. Manley commissioned to look at this issue will hand its report to the Minister the end of June, the Minister will instruct his departmental officials to look at the report and its recommendations over the summer and in the fall the Minister will address the issue. I am hopeful that this time frame will be kept and that a positive solution will be arrived at. Greg Thompson, M.P.