Greetings All. While the Federal Government continues to seek conditions and restrictions for genealogists seeking information on their ancestors through Historic Census records, they seem not to have the same qualms about placing personal information regarding our Parliamentary representative, past and present, on a website accessible to everyone on the net. On the home page for Canada's Parliament located at http://www.parl.gc.ca/common/index.asp?Language=E you will find a link labeled 'Family Relations in the Canadian Houses of Parliament'. This link takes you to another page located at http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/key/family-famille/index.asp?lang=E (If the link wraps to a second line in this message make sure you copy and paste the entire URL to access the page.) The opening of this page provides the following statement: "Occasionally, politics can be a family affair. We are pleased to provide you with parents and children, siblings, and spouses who have served in the Canadian Houses of Parliament, from Confederation (1867) to the current Parliament." Where more than one member of a family has been elected or appointed to either the House of Commons or the Senate information is provided on each of those members. That information includes date and place of birth, date of death, profession, political party, periods of Parliamentary service, caucus and Parliamentary functions. Where available a photograph is provided. Information is searchable in three categories -- 'Parents and Children', 'Siblings', and 'Spouses'. We have no complaint regarding the unrestricted access to this information regarding our Parliamentary representatives. We do however have some difficulty in knowing that under the conditions and restrictions being sought by the Federal Government for access to Historic Census records some of this very same information for ordinary people would be restricted from publication until 112 years after collection. It would appear that in this instance, 'Sauce for the Goose' is not necessarily 'Sauce for the Gander'! Happy Hunting. 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

Hi Gordon, I am so supportive of all of your efforts to have the census data made public!! An idea. This strategy of informing Parliament of the issue on their site, though, could backfire, I fear. The response will be to pull the site. The privacy issue for living persons is an increasing concern, a trend that will tend to restrict access to data we have now (this is happening in the US etc.). I think that, as soon as this issue is brought to their attention, the response will be to exercise caution. We do not need to give the privacy Commissioner any further ammunition. The Radwanski affair (relatives being hired) is very sensitive. Our issue concentrates on release of older data, to which we have a right in law. Let's just enjoy the Parliamentary site for now, as pointing out it's existence in relation to the census data may not help our cause. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gordon A. Watts" <gordon_watts@telus.net> To: <SCOTS-IN-CANADA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, January 23, 2004 12:01 PM Subject: [SCTCDN] Post 1901 Census -- > Greetings All. > > While the Federal Government continues to seek conditions and > restrictions for genealogists seeking information on their ancestors > through Historic Census records, they seem not to have the same qualms > about placing personal information regarding our Parliamentary > representative, past and present, on a website accessible to everyone on > the net. > > On the home page for Canada's Parliament located at > > http://www.parl.gc.ca/common/index.asp?Language=E > > you will find a link labeled 'Family Relations in the Canadian Houses of > Parliament'. This link takes you to another page located at > > http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/key/family-famille/index.asp?lang=E > > (If the link wraps to a second line in this message make sure you copy > and paste the entire URL to access the page.) > > The opening of this page provides the following statement: > > "Occasionally, politics can be a family affair. We are pleased to > provide you with parents and children, siblings, and spouses who have > served in the Canadian Houses of Parliament, from Confederation (1867) > to the current Parliament." > > Where more than one member of a family has been elected or appointed to > either the House of Commons or the Senate information is provided on > each of those members. That information includes date and place of > birth, date of death, profession, political party, periods of > Parliamentary service, caucus and Parliamentary functions. Where > available a photograph is provided. Information is searchable in three > categories -- 'Parents and Children', 'Siblings', and 'Spouses'. > > We have no complaint regarding the unrestricted access to this > information regarding our Parliamentary representatives. We do however > have some difficulty in knowing that under the conditions and > restrictions being sought by the Federal Government for access to > Historic Census records some of this very same information for ordinary > people would be restricted from publication until 112 years after > collection. > > It would appear that in this instance, 'Sauce for the Goose' is not > necessarily 'Sauce for the Gander'! > > Happy Hunting. > > 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 > > > > ==== SCOTS-IN-CANADA Mailing List ==== > Genealogists don't die, they just lose their census. > > ============================== > Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration > Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237 >

Hello Leslie:- I definitely do agree with you -- and for that reason will not forward the message too far. We desire the release of the 1911 census, plus later ones, with only 92 year period. The site is interesting -- but so was the news Radwanski might end up in prison as reported in Toronto Sun. Muriel M. Davidson muriel_davidson@sympatico.ca Co-Chair, Canada Census Committee -- since March 1999 http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~downhome/post1901census.htm ----- Original Message ----- From: "Leslie" <lwgrauer@shaw.ca> To: <SCOTS-IN-CANADA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, January 23, 2004 4:29 PM Subject: Re: [SCTCDN] Post 1901 Census -- > Hi Gordon, > > I am so supportive of all of your efforts to have the census data made > public!! An idea. This strategy of informing Parliament of the issue on > their site, though, could backfire, I fear. The response will be to pull > the site. The privacy issue for living persons is an increasing concern, a > trend that will tend to restrict access to data we have now (this is > happening in the US etc.). I think that, as soon as this issue is brought > to their attention, the response will be to exercise caution. We do not > need to give the privacy Commissioner any further ammunition. The Radwanski > affair (relatives being hired) is very sensitive. Our issue concentrates on > release of older data, to which we have a right in law. Let's just enjoy > the Parliamentary site for now, as pointing out it's existence in relation > to the census data may not help our cause. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Gordon A. Watts" <gordon_watts@telus.net> > To: <SCOTS-IN-CANADA-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Friday, January 23, 2004 12:01 PM > Subject: [SCTCDN] Post 1901 Census -- > > > > Greetings All. > > > > While the Federal Government continues to seek conditions and > > restrictions for genealogists seeking information on their ancestors > > through Historic Census records, they seem not to have the same qualms > > about placing personal information regarding our Parliamentary > > representative, past and present, on a website accessible to everyone on > > the net. > > > > On the home page for Canada's Parliament located at > > > > http://www.parl.gc.ca/common/index.asp?Language=E > > > > you will find a link labeled 'Family Relations in the Canadian Houses of > > Parliament'. This link takes you to another page located at > > > > > http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/key/family-famille/index.asp?lang=E > > > > (If the link wraps to a second line in this message make sure you copy > > and paste the entire URL to access the page.) > > > > The opening of this page provides the following statement: > > > > "Occasionally, politics can be a family affair. We are pleased to > > provide you with parents and children, siblings, and spouses who have > > served in the Canadian Houses of Parliament, from Confederation (1867) > > to the current Parliament." > > > > Where more than one member of a family has been elected or appointed to > > either the House of Commons or the Senate information is provided on > > each of those members. That information includes date and place of > > birth, date of death, profession, political party, periods of > > Parliamentary service, caucus and Parliamentary functions. Where > > available a photograph is provided. Information is searchable in three > > categories -- 'Parents and Children', 'Siblings', and 'Spouses'. > > > > We have no complaint regarding the unrestricted access to this > > information regarding our Parliamentary representatives. We do however > > have some difficulty in knowing that under the conditions and > > restrictions being sought by the Federal Government for access to > > Historic Census records some of this very same information for ordinary > > people would be restricted from publication until 112 years after > > collection. > > > > It would appear that in this instance, 'Sauce for the Goose' is not > > necessarily 'Sauce for the Gander'! > > > > Happy Hunting. > > > > 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

Hi Leslie While you may have a point, to a degree, I do not believe there is any danger of the information on the Parliament website being pulled. The purpose of the website is to provide information to the public about how government in general, and Parliament in particular, works. There is information available on every Senator and Member of Parliament going back to the time of Confederation in 1867. Even Senator Lowell Murray, one of the most outspoken opponents of unrestricted access to Historic Census records, has information posted that if it were a part of Census would be restricted by the terms and conditions of Bill S-13. The information referred to in my earlier post is only one small section of information regarding members of the same family having served in Parliament. This information was added to the Parliament website this past December. There is a great deal more information posted on the Parliament website, available for longer than we have been lobbying to regain our access to Census records. It includes biographical and historical information on each and every one of our Senators and MPs. The same information is not available about each of them. What is available depends upon what they have provided for inclusion. All of the information regarding our Parliamentary representatives currently in office -- biographical information regarding education, family, previous employment etc. will have been voluntarily given for the purpose of placement on the website -- consider it a place for 'bragging rights' for the Senators and MPs. Parliamentary service is a matter of public record. Considering the fact that the information is on a government website I am sure that everything on it complies with all privacy and confidentiality legislation. Surely the government would not do anything that goes against their own legislation! Would they? Happy Hunting. 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 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Leslie" <lwgrauer@shaw.ca> To: <SCOTS-IN-CANADA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, January 23, 2004 1:29 PM Subject: Re: [SCTCDN] Post 1901 Census -- Hi Gordon, I am so supportive of all of your efforts to have the census data made public!! An idea. This strategy of informing Parliament of the issue on their site, though, could backfire, I fear. The response will be to pull the site. The privacy issue for living persons is an increasing concern, a trend that will tend to restrict access to data we have now (this is happening in the US etc.). I think that, as soon as this issue is brought to their attention, the response will be to exercise caution. We do not need to give the privacy Commissioner any further ammunition. The Radwanski affair (relatives being hired) is very sensitive. Our issue concentrates on release of older data, to which we have a right in law. Let's just enjoy the Parliamentary site for now, as pointing out it's existence in relation to the census data may not help our cause. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gordon A. Watts" <gordon_watts@telus.net> To: <SCOTS-IN-CANADA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, January 23, 2004 12:01 PM Subject: [SCTCDN] Post 1901 Census -- > Greetings All. > > While the Federal Government continues to seek conditions and > restrictions for genealogists seeking information on their ancestors > through Historic Census records, they seem not to have the same qualms > about placing personal information regarding our Parliamentary > representative, past and present, on a website accessible to everyone on > the net. > > On the home page for Canada's Parliament located at > > http://www.parl.gc.ca/common/index.asp?Language=E > > you will find a link labeled 'Family Relations in the Canadian Houses of > Parliament'. This link takes you to another page located at > > http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/about/people/key/family-famille/index.asp?lang=E > > (If the link wraps to a second line in this message make sure you copy > and paste the entire URL to access the page.) > > The opening of this page provides the following statement: > > "Occasionally, politics can be a family affair. We are pleased to > provide you with parents and children, siblings, and spouses who have > served in the Canadian Houses of Parliament, from Confederation (1867) > to the current Parliament." > > Where more than one member of a family has been elected or appointed to > either the House of Commons or the Senate information is provided on > each of those members. That information includes date and place of > birth, date of death, profession, political party, periods of > Parliamentary service, caucus and Parliamentary functions. Where > available a photograph is provided. Information is searchable in three > categories -- 'Parents and Children', 'Siblings', and 'Spouses'. > > We have no complaint regarding the unrestricted access to this > information regarding our Parliamentary representatives. We do however > have some difficulty in knowing that under the conditions and > restrictions being sought by the Federal Government for access to > Historic Census records some of this very same information for ordinary > people would be restricted from publication until 112 years after > collection. > > It would appear that in this instance, 'Sauce for the Goose' is not > necessarily 'Sauce for the Gander'! > > Happy Hunting. > > 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 > > > > ==== SCOTS-IN-CANADA Mailing List ==== > Genealogists don't die, they just lose their census. > > ============================== > Gain access to over two billion names including the new Immigration > Collection with an Ancestry.com free trial. Click to learn more. > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=4930&sourceid=1237 > ______________________________