May 21st, 2003

Dear Mr. Watts:

Thank you for taking the time to inform me of your concers with Bill S-13. 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 lenth of time, and is generally consistent with the practice in Britain and the United States, where records are kept confidention for 100 and 72 years respectively.

The Canadian Alliance will not be supporting S-13. As it currently stands, theis bill will allow limited access to "tombstone" census information after 92 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. There is also the matter of informed consent, which you have raised.

I hope that I have been of assistance.

Sincerely

James Rajotte, MP
Edmonton Southwest