The introduction of the long form between 1971 to 2001, however, is one reason why the National Archives believes that national censuses for the period from 1971 to 2001 should be treated as a separate issue. As for future censuses, beginning with the one to take place in 2001, Canadians should be notified that information from these surveys may be released under the terms of the Privacy Act . A void has been created in census information as a result of a kind of grandfather clause that has slipped into dotage. The National Archives recommends that the microfilmed census records from 1921 to 1986 be transferred to its care, custody and control. The National Archives will apply the provisions of the information and privacy legislation to the release of these records in accordance with the law, including section 17 of the Statistics Act .
International practices governing the release of census information vary.
In the United States, the National Archives and Records Administration recently requested funds to prepare the release of the 1930 census in 2002, in keeping with its 72-year schedule. In the United Kingdom, they keep to a 100-year pattern. Just like their counterparts in Canada, officials in these countries are seeking a balance between competing interests in census records, that is to say a balance between the citizen s right to privacy and the researcher s access to that valuable information. This balance changes with time. Census information is sensitive, especially when it relates to persons still living.