Greetings All. Copied below is an extract from Hansard for Debates of the Senate of Canada for Wednesay 5 June 2002. It makes mention of a "solution" to the Post 1901 Census issue that was to be presented to a Cabinet committee today (Thursday 6 June 2002), and then to Cabinet next week. I am concerned that with recent activities in Ottawa, the Census issue is likely to receive little attention by the committee or by Cabinet. I am attempting to obtain information as to what this "solution" is but chances of being successful in this are likely 'slim to none'. Dr. Fellegi's, or Statistics Canada's (which is the same thing) public statements about the reasons for withholding the records do not stand up to scrutiny. They have not received the public outrage that they sought in their "broad based discussions with all Canadians". They have not proven that knowledge records would be available after 92 years would inhibit cooperation of respondents to Census. Quite the opposite, in fact. They have been strangely silent since the report on the Town Hall meetings and focus groups was made public. I am not aware of a single comment they have made about that. What we seek, and what we expect to receive, is unconditional access to Post 1901 records on the same basis as those records up to and including 1901 are currently accessible. Anything short of that will not prevent the legal action from going ahead. There is no justification for discriminating between those records up to 1901 and subsequent ones. Our lawyer, Lois Sparling, advises me that the next step is a motion for a ruling over her questions for the defendants and related matters that is scheduled for the monthly motions court heard in Calgary on Thursday June 20. I had a twenty minute long distance telephone conversation with Elaine Carey, reporter for the Toronto Star this morning. She is working on an article about the Census issue and our legal action. She had already talked to Senator Milne, Muriel and Lois. She indicated that Dr. Fellegi would not speak to her on the basis that "the issue is currently before the courts". I am looking forward to seeing her article which she hopes will be in the Star on Sunday. Cheers. Gordon A. Watts gordon_watts@telus.net Co-Chair, Canada Census Committee Port Coquitlam, BC http://globalgenealogy.com/Census en français http://globalgenealogy.com/Census/Index_f.htm Permission to forward without notice is granted. ========================================= Statistics Act National Archives of Canada Act Bill to Amend-Committee Authorized to Extend Date of Final Report Hon. Michael Kirby: Honourable senators, with leave of the Senate and notwithstanding rule 58(1)(a), I move: That notwithstanding the Order of the Senate adopted on April 25, 2002, the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, which was authorized to examine and report on Bill S-12, to amend the Statistics Act and the National Archives of Canada Act (census records), be empowered to present its final report no later than September 30, 2002. The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Is leave granted, honourable senators? Hon. Senators: Agreed. Hon. Lowell Murray: Honourable senators, I do not rise for the purpose of expressing objection to this motion. However, I wonder whether the chairman of the committee could explain the reasons for the extension of time that is being sought by the committee on this matter. Senator Kirby: Honourable senators, I had a discussion yesterday with Senator Murray, who moved the motion to send Bill S-12 back to the committee, and with Senator Milne, the sponsor of the bill. My original hope had been to seek a two-week delay. A solution to the issue raised by Senator Murray is in fact to go before a cabinet committee tomorrow. It had been my hope that it would go to the cabinet committee tomorrow and on to the cabinet next week. We would then call Dr. Fellegi, the Chief Statistician of Canada, the following week. Unfortunately, he is going out of the country on Monday and will be gone for three weeks. He will not be back until after the Senate has adjourned for the summer, even if we sit until the end of June. I picked September 30 to ensure that we would deal with the issue as soon as we come back from the summer recess. Honourable senators, I am happy to make a commitment to the house on behalf of the committee that, if the issue is not resolved, we will have Dr. Fellegi as a witness at the committee's first sitting following our return in September. Motion agreed to.