EXTRACTS FROM HANSARD -- PROCEEDINGS OF CANADA'S SENATE :

Debates of the Senate (Hansard)
1st Session, 37th Parliament,
Volume 139, Issue 32
Thursday, May 3, 2001
The Honourable Dan Hays, Speaker



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QUESTION PERIOD

Statistics Canada

Census Questionnaire-Omission of Acadians as Cultural Group

Hon. Sharon Carstairs (Leader of the Government): Honourable senators, while I am on my feet, in response to a question the honourable senator asked the other day, I looked at the census form in some detail. I will take his questions forward because I think they are legitimate ones, the Senate should know that there is an opportunity in the "other" column to self-identify with any ethnic group one wishes.

Hon. Gerald J. Comeau: Honourable senators, the minister has raised the question of the census. I did see that there was a column for ethnicity or cultural background. I felt that the government might not wish to relegate Acadians to a column headed "other," especially since Chilean, Vietnamese and various other ethnic backgrounds are included on the form. I would have thought that Acadians, being the first European settlers of Canada, would have at least equal status to other ethnic and cultural groups and not be relegated to the term "other."

I believe it is a mistake for those responsible for the census to have "forgotten" - as I will describe it - the Acadians. In future surveys, such a thing must not happen.

Senator Carstairs: Honourable senators, I agree with the Honourable Senator Comeau and that is exactly why I will take the intent of his question forward. I fully concur with his intent