| Name: | Mr. Rahim Jaffer |
| Political Party: | Conservative |
| Constituency: | Edmonton - Strathcona |
| Province: | Alberta |
| Telephone: | (613) 995-7325 |
| Fax: | (613) 995-5342 |
| Email: | jaffer@parl.gc.ca or jaffer@rahimjaffer.org |
| Website: | http://www.rahimjaffer.com |
| Address: | House of Commons, Ottawa K1A OA6 |
| Constituency Address: | 7616 - 103rd Street Edmonton, Alberta T6E 4Z8 Tel. 780-495-8404 Fax. 780-495-8403 |
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09/23/2004 - email to MP Rahim Jaffer from Gordon A. Watts. From: Gordon A. Watts Dear Mr. Jaffer. I am receipt of your letter, dated 15 Sepember 2004, in response to my own letter of 29 August 2004. Thank you for reaffirming the supportive position of the Conservative Party of Canada, and by extension your own support, for public access to 92-year-old Census records. The fact that you have taken the time to personally reply to my letter is doubly appreciated. So many times Members of Parliament do not respond to our letters or simply have an assistant reply giving an acknowledgement of receipt without responding to the questions asked. In respect to your references to Bill S-13 however, I must respectfully suggest an updating of the position stated in your letter. Bill S-13 is no longer "currently in front of the House of Commons". S-13 died on the Order Paper with the proroguing of the Second Session of the 37th Parliament and was not brought forward to the next Session. There is currently no Bill regarding the Census issue before either House of Parliament. We do appreciate however, the indication that you and your party would not support a Bill that contained conditions and restrictions similar to those that Bill S-13 would have imposed. Thank you again. Gordon A. Watts gordon_watts@telus.net 09/15/2004 - letter from MP Rahim Jaffer to Gordon A. Watts. OTTAWA September 15, 2004 Mr. Gordon A. Watts Dear Mr. Watts, Thank you for your letter expressing support for the release of post-1901 census records. I appreciate knowing your views on this issue and am pleased to be given the opportunity of providing you with our position. The Conservative Party supports the preservation of census records and the subsequent transfer of these records to the National Archives for public release. We believe that keeping the records confidential for the historical 92-year period is an adequate length of time, and that this is generally consistent with the practice in Britain and the United States, where records are kept confidential for 100 and 72 years respectively. However, the Conservative Party will not be supporting the census legislation currently in front of the House of Commons (S-13 - An Act to Amend the Statistics Act). S-13 will allow limited access to "tombstone"census information after 92 years. Full access to census records will only be allowed after 112 years. We believe S-13 further complicates matters by allowing access after 92 years only to designated individuals. The designation process will rfesult in a complicated bureaucracy, added costs and the question of who will police the census. I hopt that this information has answered some of your concerns. Again, thank you for taking the time to write to me to convey your views and comments on this issue. Sincerely, Rahim Jaffer, M.P. 08/29/2004 - letter sent to MP Rahim Jaffer from Gordon A. Watts 29 August 2004 Mr. Rahim Jaffer Dear Mr. Jaffer Congratulations on your recent election as a Member of Parliament. To have the trust and respect of those who voted for you is a great honour. Members who have been re-elected will be aware of an issue affecting a great many Canadians that seek their personal ancestry through research of Historic Census records. Newly elected Members may not yet be aware of this issue. It has been estimated that in excess of 7.5 million Canadians have an interest in genealogy and family history. These individuals seek to regain the same public access, with no added conditions or restrictions, to 92-year-old records of Census after 1906 that is currently available for 240 years of Census records up to that time. Access to Census records after 1906 is prevented at this time because of the (believed illegal) policy of a federal civil servant - Dr. Ivan P. Fellegi - Chief Statistician of Canada. The Library and Archives of Canada Act (and it's predecessor) has designated to the Librarian and Archivist the authority to determine what records of government are of archival or historical value and that shall be deposited in the National Library and Archives. Librarian and Archivist Ian E. Wilson determined that schedules of Census have archival and historical value. He declared them to be a National Treasure. He requested the Chief Statistician to return care and control of the records in question to his authority. Dr. Fellegi denied that request. The Access to Information and Privacy Acts, and Privacy Regulations, make specific provision for personal information collected through Census or Survey to be made available to any person or body for purposes of research, 92 years following collection. The legislation assumes these records to be under the care and control of the National Archivist. By refusing to return care and control of the records in question to the Librarian and Archivist for subsequent public access the Chief Statistician has acted in deliberate contravention of the Library and Archives of Canada Act, the Access to Information Act, and the Privacy Act. He has usurped the authority of the Librarian and Archivist to determine what governmental records are of archival or historical value and that shall be deposited in the Library and Archives of Canada. In dictating policy instead of following policy determined through legislation passed by Parliament he has usurped the authority of that body. Do you believe that any Federal bureaucrat, regardless of how highly placed or regarded, is above the Laws of Canada? Do you believe that a civil servant has the power to dictate policy that contravenes legislation passed by the Parliament of Canada? The Access to Information and Privacy Acts are complementary Acts born of the same Bill debated and passed by Parliament. Do you believe the parliamentarians who passed this legislation would knowingly include clauses in one Act, the effect of which would be to totally nullify clauses in the other? If your answer to any of these questions is 'NO' we ask that you support our efforts to regain the same public access - with no added restrictions or conditions - to Historic Census records after 1906 that is currently available for 240 years of Census records up to that time. We seek nothing new. We seek only that which current legislation states we are entitled to - access that we have had in the past but is currently (believed illegally) withheld from us by the Chief Statistician of Canada. We ask that you call upon the Government of Canada to immediately direct the Chief Statistician of Canada to obey the Laws of Canada. We ask that he be directed to return care and control of schedules of Historic Census to the Librarian and Archivist of Canada for subsequent public access in accordance with the Access to Information and Privacy Acts. We ask further that you ensure continued public access to Historic Census records by seeking a government Bill that would add to the Statistics Act a single clause, similar to the following: "Original schedules of Census or authentic copies thereof shall, not later than thirty (30) years following collection, be transferred to the care and control of the National Archivist for subsequent public access in accordance with provisions of the Access to Information and Privacy Acts, and Regulations attached thereto." In reading my letter you may not feel any obligation to respond to someone living outside your electoral riding. The votes you cast in Parliament, however, affect all people living in Canada and in that respect your constituency is all of Canada. Considering this, even though I do not reside in your riding I would greatly appreciate your personal response to my letter. Your response, stating your support (or otherwise) of the access we seek, will be posted to your Correspondence Log on the Post 1901 Census Project website. It will be available for viewing by your constituents on the MPs Scoreboard at www.globalgenealogy.com/Census Thank you for taking the time to read my letter, and for your consideration of this very important issue. Respectfully Gordon A. Watts 05/21/2003 - email from MP Rahim Jaffer to Muriel M. Davidson.
To: "'Muriel M. Davidson'" Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2003 10:59 AM Subject: RE: Post-1901 Census -- Open Debate, Free Vote and Amendments Needed for Bill S-13 Dear Mrs. Davidson, I am pleased to provide you with Mr. Jaffer's response to your concerns over bill S-13. Sandra Wilson Parliamentary Assistant to Rahim Jaffer M.P. Critic for Canada Customs & the Revenue Agency Deputy Critic for Foreign Affairs & the Middle East Ottawa Office:613-995-7325 Ottawa Fax: 613-995-5342 Thank you for your letter expressing support for the release of post-1901 census records. I appreciate knowing your views on this issue and am pleased to be given the opportunity of providing you with our position. The Canadian Alliance supports the preservation of census records and the subsequent transfer of these records to the National Archives for public release. We believe that keeping the records confidential for the historical 92-year period is an adequate length of time, and that this is generally consistent with the practice in Britain and the United States, where records are kept confidential for 100 and 72 years respectively. However, the Canadian Alliance will not be supporting the census legislation currently in front of the House of Commons (S-13 - An Act to Amend the Statistics Act). S-13 will allow limited access to “tombstone” census information after 92 years. Full access to census records will only be allowed after 112 years. We believe S-13 further complicates matters by allowing access after 92 years only to designated individuals. The designation process will result in a complicated bureaucracy, added costs and the question of who will police the census. I hope this has answered some of your concerns with the Canadian Alliance position with regards to this issue. Sincerely, Rahim Jaffer M.P. Edmonton Strathcona 02/19/2001 - email from MP Rahim Jaffer to Muriel M. Davidson.
To: Muriel M. Davidson Sent: Monday, February 19, 2001 2:32 PM Subject: Census response Dear Muriel, A quick note to let you know that your e-mail message has been received and that the Canadian Alliance Caucus is presently reviewing the issue of access to the Census information. The official Opposition Critic for this issue is now Mr. Charlie Penson, if you require more information you may reach him at pensoc@parl.gc.ca. I will be glad to let you know my position with regard to any private member's bills as soon as I am able to review all aspect of these. Sincerely, Rahim Jaffer MP 09/30/99- letter from Rahim Jaffer, M.P. to Muriel M. Davidson:
Dear Mrs. Davidson: Thank you for your recent letter and documentation. I have reviewed your correspondence and am delighted to have the opportunity to reply personally with this short note. Your comments and suggestions in respect to census records have been noted and your observations and advice are truly appreciated. For your information, I have enclosed a copy of a letter that was written to Minister Manley, clearly outlining my position concerning the issue of the census records. Thank you again for taking the time to write to me in order to convey your comments. Constructive feedback, such as yours, is helpful to myself and Reform MPs, as grassroots input is one of the fundamental cornerstones of the Reform Party. Yours sincerely, [Signature] Rahim Jaffer M.P. Edmonton Strathcona Official Opposition Critic for Industry
Minister John Manley Room 607, Confederation Building House of Commons Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6 Dear Minister Manley I am writing this letter on behalf of several of my constituents and other concerned citizens who have approached my office about the preservation and eventual release of post-1901 census data. To my knowledge, the legislation governing vital statistics changed after 1905 and i am concerned that the post 1901 census material will not be made accessible and will possibly be destroyed. Mr. Jober, a constituent of Mr. Ian McClelland has provided my office with a response from Mr. Ivan P. Fellegi, Chief Statistician of Statistics Canada to Ms. Ann Ward, President of ontario Genealogical Society, on this matter. In this response, Mr. Fellegi describes how census material including--and prior to--1901 was released.
However, prior to this statement, Mr. Fellegi explains why the post-1901 Census data cannot be transferred from Statistics Canada to the National Archives.
It is clear that Statistics Canada will not transfer post-1901 census material to the National Archives until the legislation governing this census material is amended or replaced. As the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada, this puts the matter squarely in your hands. It seems reasonable to me that this data should be preserved and made available after a reasonable time period (92 years) through a respected national body such as the National Archives. I am therefore requesting that you review this matter and amend or replace the pertinent legislation to allow for the preservation and eventual release of this material. I am also requesting that you direct Statistics Canada to preserve this data until a full public debate has occurred on what should be done with this material. Thank you for taking the time to review this information. Sincerely [Signature] Rahim Jaffer, MP Edmonton Strathcona Official Opposition Critic for Industry
A web site has been posted at http://globalgenealogy.com/census to record MP's responses, so that those who are interested, will know the position that their elected representative has (or has not expressed) on the issue. Also included on the web site, is a correspondence log for each Member of Parliament, which will contain responses to this e-mail plus any other correspondence from the MP. The Question: "Would you, as an elected Member of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Canada, vote FOR or AGAINST a Bill supporting release to the Public, of Post 1901 Census Records, 92 years after they were recorded. ( 1911 census information available in 2003, 1921 in 2013 etc)" If you would like to expand on your position, your entire response will be posted to your individual correspondence log. The Post 1901 Census web site is sponsored by Global Genealogy & History Bookstore. A vast number of e-mails and calls from subscribers and web site visitors, clearly demonstrates that this issue is extremely important to them. Many readers have expressed that their current MP's position on this issue will weigh heavily in their decision process during the next election. |
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