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From: "Gordon A. Watts" <>
Subject: Census 2006 -- Lockheed-Martin and confidentiality
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2006 11:06:51 -0700


Greetings All

Over the past few weeks I have been made aware of a group who have been
actively campaigning to have people hinder, or cripple the upcoming Canadian
Census. I have been reluctant to make mention of them at all, hoping they
would just 'go away', and I will not mention who they are because I do not
wish to give any indication I believe them to be credible.

Let it suffice to say that it would appear they are well funded, and well
organized. In my opinion however, they are misguided and misinformed
regarding the realities of how the Census is being conducted. They do not
advocate outright refusal to respond to the Census, but offer a number of
suggestions regarding ways to hinder the process, and to skew the resultant
data. To follow these suggestions would, in my opinion, be dangerous and
detrimental to the entire process and the reasons for it.

These people put forth the fact that Statistics Canada has contracted out to
the Canadian subsidiary of Lockheed-Martin for software, and fear that
having done so makes our Census data subject to export to the United States
under legislation enacted there after 9-11, as reasons to not fully
cooperate in our upcoming Census.

This is not a new issue. In fact, to my knowledge it has been around since
early 2004, when Statistics Canada conducted a test Census in preparation
for Census 2006. It is an issue that has been dealt with in Parliament at
least twice that I am aware of. It is an issue that should have been put to
rest long ago.

Statistics Canada has taken a number of steps to ensure that confidentiality
of Census is maintained, and that NO information provided to Census can be
exported to the United States or any other country. Those steps include the
following:

** Only Statistics Canada staff handle completed questionnaires and process
confidential data. All questionnaires and data are processed in Canada.

** The systems and networks used to collect and process confidential data
are not connected to any external networks, and are physically isolated from
the outside.

** No contract staff is ever in possession of confidential data, and it is
physically impossible for any outside contractor to obtain possession of
census data or to transmit them outside the Agency.

** Everyone working on the census is sworn in under the Statistics Act, and
subject to the provisions and penalties of the Statistics Act (including
imprisonment of up to six months) if they breach confidentiality.

I urge everyone to cooperate fully, and to honestly complete the Census 2006
questionnaires. It is to your advantage to do so.

Ensure your place in the history of Canada. On Census Day 16 May 2006,
answer YES to allow your information to be made available to your
descendants in 2098. As everyone you know to do so as well.

Gordon A. Watts
Co-chair, Canada Census Committee
Port Coquitlam, British Columbia

Read my column, 'Gordon Watts Reports' at
http://globalgenealogy.com/globalgazette/authors/authgw.htm

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