| Name: | Mr. Mac Harb |
| Political Party: | Liberal Party of Canada |
| Senatorial Division: | Ontario |
| Province: | Ontario |
| Telephone: | (613) 996-2379 |
| Fax: | (613) xxx-xxxx |
| Harb.M@sen.parl.gc.ca or harbm@sen.parl.gc.ca |
| Website: |
| Address: | Senate of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A OA4 |
09/09/2003 - Marc Harb was appointed to the Senate 9 September 2003. His Gold Tick of support of the Census issue was earned while he was a Member of Parliament.
10/30/2002 - email re: MP Mac Harb from Wendy Croome to Gordon A. Watts
To: "Gordon A. Watts" Sent: Wednesday, October 30, 2002 10:50 AM Subject: Mac Harb MP's position Dear Gordon, In response to our latest efforts of writing only to our own MPs and Senators, I wrote to my MP, Mac Harb, Ottawa Centre. He has a gold tick, but reading some of his replies to letters, statements in the House, etc. I wasn't sure if he might be wobbling in his support, so I wrote to him. Encouragingly, his reply (copied below) is very supportive. I suggest it be added to the web site, and if you like, you can include my name. Wendy Croome ============================== October 24, 2002 Dear Ms Croome: I would like to thank you for your letter and for advising me of your support for the release of post-1901 census records. Please be assured of my unqualified support for the proposed legislation that would free up this information for scrutiny by researchers and genealogists. I share your view that unrestricted access will be only beneficial to the needs of Canadians and I trust that the legislation will pass through the House in a timely fashion. Thanks once again for sharing your views on this proposed bill with me. Sincerely, Mac Harb, M.P. 08/11/2001 - email to MP Marc Harb from Muriel M. Davidson.
To: Harb.M@parl.gc.ca Sent: Saturday, August 11, 2001 1:03 PM Subject: Post-1901 Memo: The year is now 2001 09/20/2000 - extract from Hansard. MP Mac Harb speaks to MP Jason Kenney's Motion M-160. Mr. Harb presents an amendment to the Motion. To Mac Harb, MP (Ottawa Centre):- The above quote has been taken from your personal message board at http://www.globalgenealogy.com/Census/Score3.htm#ONT Just click on your name to access messages. Although this is Parliamentary recess -- I am hoping to bring all dates of answers up to the present year -- which is 2001. I understand that you have a Bill or a Motion -- you never answered -- and if it is for release of Post-1901 Census, please let us know. Looking forward to an updated 2001 reply by email -- then I forward to Gordon Watts who updates the Scoreboard. Muriel M. Davidson Co-Chair, Canada Census Committee 09/20/2000 - extract from Hansard. MP Mac Harb speaks to MP Jason Kenney's Motion M-160. Mr. Harb presents an amendment to the Motion.
I would like to assure my colleagues that the minister responsible for Statistics Canada is well aware of both sides of this debate. Although he recognizes the importance of historical and genealogical research, the minister must also take into account the privacy concerns of all Canadians. In fact, my own private member's bill, Bill C-312, an act to amend the National Archives of Canada Act and the Statistics Act, is an attempt to resolve this issue with a fair and balanced approach. It is for that reason that the minister took immediate steps and appointed an expert panel to examine the legal, privacy and archival implications of providing access to historical census records. The panel was asked to recommend an approach which balances the need to protect personal privacy with the demand of genealogists and historians for access to historical census records. The panel submitted its report to the minister on June 30, 2000. The minister is now reviewing the recommendations made by the panel and will be making the panel's report public in the near future. I am therefore encouraged by the minister's genuine interest and commitment to find a balanced resolution. While he must carefully consider all sides of this issue, any decision taken must respond to the concerns and desires of Canadians to research their personal and community roots. The minister is working toward a resolution of the issue of public access to historical census records. Canada's census records up to and including the 1901 census are available to the public through the National Archives. Statistics Canada continues to hold all individual returns of census questionnaires collected between 1906 and 1996. Up to 1991 these records are on microfilm and are available only to individual respondents who need to confirm birth dates for pension purposes, passports or any other related issues. I believe that the members of the House understand the need for access to census records while at the same time they are sensitive to the privacy concerns of Canadians. In the spirit of co-operation, I would like to propose an amendment that would support the work of all those involved reaching a workable solution to this issue. I therefore propose to amend the motion and emphasize that the government should consider taking the necessary steps to release the census records. I think the member for Calgary Southeast will agree that this small change to his motion will allow an opportunity to look at both sides of this issue. It also provides parliament with an opportunity to vote in support of the motion. Therefore, I move:
Mr. and Mrs. Rick and Valerie Davidson Dear Mr. and Mrs Davidson: Thank you for your letter concerning the release of post-1901 data relating to the census. I support the release of this information and drafted a private members Bill to that effect (Bill C-312 An Act to Amend the National Archives of Canada Act and the Statistics Act). A copy of the bill can be obtained at the parliamentary website located at http://www.parl.gc.ca under private member's business (House of Commons). Thank you again for you interest in this matter. Sincerely, Mac Harb, MP Second Session, Thirty-sixth Parliament, 48 Elizabeth II, 1999 The House of Commons of Canada BILL C-312 An Act to amend the National Archives of Canada Act and the Statistics Act First reading, November 5, 1999 SUMMARY The purpose of this enactment is to mandate the Chief Statistician of Canada to transfer to the National Archivist of Canada all census information that has been collected since the 1906 census and that will be collected in every future census. Such transfer is currently prohibited. The National Archivist of Canada may make such information available to the public for research and statistical purposes provided that 92 years have elapsed since its collection. 2nd Session, 36th Parliament, 48 Elizabeth II, 1999 The House of Commons of Canada BILL C-312 An Act to amend the National Archives of Canada Act and the Statistics Act Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows: [ R.S., c. 1 (3rd Supp.); 1990, c. 3; 1992, c. 1; 1995, c. 29 ] Section 4 of the National Archives of Canada Act is amended by adding the following after subsection (4): [ Release of census information ] (5) Despite any other provision in this or any other Act of Parliament or a regulation made thereunder, the Archivist may disclose to any person or body for research or statistical purposes any information under the control of the Archivist that is contained in a census of population taken before or after the coming into force of this section, provided that 92 years have elapsed since the census containing the information was taken. [ R.S., c. S-19; 1988, c. 65; 1990, c. 45; 1992, c. 1 ] 2. The Statistics Act is amended by adding the following after section 21: TRANSFER OF CENSUS OF POPULATION TO NATIONAL ARCHIVES [ Transfer of census information obtained after 1906 but before this section comes into force ] 21.1 (1) Despite any other provision in this or any other Act of Parliament or a regulation made thereunder, the Chief Statistician shall, not later than 30 days after the day this section comes into force, transfer to the National Archivist for archival purposes, the information contained in every census of population taken in Canada after 1906 but prior to the coming into force of this section. [ Transfer of census information obtained after this section comes into force ] (2) Despite any other provision in this or any other Act of Parliament or a regulation made thereunder, the Chief Statistician shall, not later than five years following every census taken in Canada after the coming into force of this section, transfer the information contained in that census to the National Archivist for archival purposes.
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:
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 The Global Gazette, an online magazine serving the genealogical and heritage community. 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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