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From: "Gordon A. Watts" <>
Subject: Re: [CCC] census bill
Date: Sat, 12 Apr 2003 11:03:33 -0700
References: <004f01c30112$300e79c0$12209a8e@mcgregor>


Hi Patty.

You have hit the nail on the head. There will be debate on Bill S-13
when it is returned to the Senate and it is possible, but probably
unlikely, that amendments could be proposed there. While time may be
short to encourage Senators to propose amendments, the Bill will be
referred to the House of Commons after Senate third reading and it will
go through the same stages in the House that it has in the Senate.

Should we be writing to our MPs to seek their support for proposing the
amendments we seek? Most definitely yes!!! Let us bombard them with
letters and let them know that the strings and conditions, particularly
insofar as the 1911 and 1916 Censuses are concerned, are not what the
public (voters) seek. Although we do not want to, we can live with the
"undertaking" and commitment to it. The most important amendment to
seek has to do with clause (8) which is the so-called "informed consent"
clause. We see no need for such a requirement. If we are to be saddled
with it, we must do all we can to see that it is an OPT-OUT provision
rather than OPT-IN.

Thank you for your kind words, and your continued support.

Gordon


----- Original Message -----
From: "pmcgr" <>
To: <>
Sent: Saturday, April 12, 2003 9:40 AM
Subject: [CCC] census bill


Hi

I am relatively new to this list, but certainly not to the issue. I have
written my MP many timeas and even was one of the presenters at the
Ottawa Town Hall back in Dec 2001. I have been watching the posts with
interest since I joined the list about a month ago.

I agree with many who have said we need to keep this in perspective.
Without the work of Muriel Davidson, Gordon Watts, Senator Milne, Jeff
Paul and many others there would be no 1906 census on line and no chance
of even seeing the 1911 in many of our lifetimes. So yes, we didn't get
all we wanted (do we ever), but we did make huge strides. And those hard
workers need to be congratulated for their efforts. Shooting the
messenger has never been very helpful.

I do have a question though. Forgive me if it is naiive - this bill
which the Senate has passed now has to go to the House, right? Will it
be debated there? Can ammendements be added then, or will they just pass
what the Senate has approved?

In other words, should we be targetting specific MPs who are shown as
fence sitters, contacting supporters to see if they will change it from
an opt in to an opt out check box or what??

If the battle is over, but the war is not, then let's keep up the
pressure.

Muriel, Lorna, Gordon - any suggestions?

Patty McGregor
Ottawa


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