The House of Commons is currently considering legislation (Bills
C-357 and C-387) that would permit an individual to refuse to give out
his Social Insurance Number unless specifically required by law do so.
This is part of the trend to legislatively protect such numbers against
identity theft.
S-18 permits release to the public of historical census records
between 1910 and 2005, allowing unrestricted access to those records,
beginning 92 years after the census was taken. Starting in 2006, an
"opt-in" provision would be required by individual Canadians
in order for their census information to be released 92 years after the
census is taken. This bill, if enacted, provides for a parliamentary
review of the administration of that requirement.
Text of the bill can be found at http://globalgenealogy.com/Census/Download/S18.pdf
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