Hello, fellow researchers! Teri & I have been innundated with request this week for a sample letter that people can send regarding the 1911 Canadian Census. Having just sent the following one ourselves, please feel free to use a copy - with your info, of course! <g> After going round & round disclaiming their responsibility, at least now we know the issue is becoming known! Yours for protecting our right to know, Doug & Teri Champigny, [email protected] -----Original Message----- From: Doug Champigny [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, June 11, 1998 11:35 AM To: [email protected] Cc: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: ************************************************************************* Your e-mail message has been received by the Prime Minister*s Office. Please be assured that Mr. *Chrétien appreciates the time and care that you have taken in writing to him. While he would like to respond to each and every message personally, the volume of mail he receives every day makes that impossible. The Prime Minister works closely with his colleagues in Cabinet to carry out the functions of government. Every minister is assigned an area of responsibility and answers, on behalf of the Government of Canada, on matters in his/her jurisdiction. The Honourable John Manley, Minister of Industry, is responsible for the matter you raised and your message has been forwarded to him directly. You may rest assured that the Minister*s office will give your views careful consideration. ************************************************************************* Mr. Manley: As advised by the PMO (above), we write to you today with regard to the status of the 1911 Census, and those that followed it. As Minister of Industry, we implore you to work with the world-wide genealogy community to strike a harmonious balance between privacy discretion and the People's right to know and cherish their heritage. At issue here is not whether the Statistics Act allows or disallows the release of the information - the issue is whether this Act, originally initiated in 1906, is a proper governing treatise in the new information age, where almost any information is available world-wide through the electronic community. Surely the privacy concerns behind the passage of this act are sufficiently protected by the previous 92-year rule. We thereby submit a formal request, sir, that you work with our Heritage Minister, the Honourable Sheila Copps, to protect and preserve our rights by ammending the current legislation, enabling the continuance of the 92-year rule. Please, Minister, allow future generations to continue our pride in the pioneers, veterans and every other Canadian who helped to make Canada the shining example it is today! In this regard, would you please send us a note, detailing your feelings on this terribly important issue, and letting us know both what steps you and Minister Copps are taking, and what steps you would have us take to aid you in this matter. Respectfully Yours, Doug & Teri Champigny, Suite 1211, 200 Balliol Street, Toronto, Ontario, CANADA M4S 1C6 Sent to: John Manley, Minister of Industry - [email protected] CC: Jean Chretien, Prime Minister of Canada - [email protected] Sheila Copps, Minister of Heritage - [email protected] Dr. Ivan Fellegi, Chief Statistician - [email protected]