I called a cemetery today hoping to get a death date for someone born in 1864. They refused to give birth or death dates due to the "Privacy Act" but did tell me what date this person was buried and who they were buried with. I've run into this a couple times before, usually with the large city cemeteries. What exactly does the Privacy Act cover with regards to cemeteries? If the information being sought is on the headstone or in a cemetery transcript why the secrecy? And if the Privacy Act is trying to help prevent identity theft (a reason given by one cemetery I called), how does that work when you're seeking persons who were born well over 100 years ago?
I could be mistaken but I am under the impression that a cemetery can give information regarding a burial because that is their business whereas giving information regarding a death date is the business of the deceased and his/her survivors and therefore falls under the Privacy Act. See: http://www.privcom.gc.ca/legislation/02_07_01_e.asp Cheers! Doreen =================== > Date: Wed, 14 Nov 2007 16:54:43 -0500 > To: ONTARIO@rootsweb.com > From: genealogy@geneofun.on.ca > Subject: [ONTARIO] Cemeteries & the Privacy Act > > > I called a cemetery today hoping to get a death date for someone born in > 1864. They refused to give birth or death dates due to the "Privacy Act" > but did tell me what date this person was buried and who they were buried with. > > I've run into this a couple times before, usually with the large city > cemeteries. > > What exactly does the Privacy Act cover with regards to cemeteries? If the > information being sought is on the headstone or in a cemetery transcript why > the secrecy? > > And if the Privacy Act is trying to help prevent identity theft (a reason > given by one cemetery I called), how does that work when you're seeking > persons who were born well over 100 years ago? > > > *********** > Search Ontario Genealogy & Resources at http://olivetreegenealogy.com/can/ont/ > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ONTARIO-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message _________________________________________________________________ Send a smile, make someone laugh, have some fun! Start now! http://www.freemessengeremoticons.ca/?icid=EMENCA122