Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to address the motion raised by the member for Calgary Southeast with respect to the release of the 1911 census records.
The transfer of census records to the National Archives for public access is a fairly complex issue. The competing interests at issue here are both legitimate and important.
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:
That the motion be amended by deleting the word “take” after the word “should” and by substituting therefor, the words “consider taking”.