Birth registration and birth statistics in Canada / by Robert R. Kuczynski.

  • Robert René Kuczynski
Date:
1930
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Birth registration and birth statistics in Canada / by Robert R. Kuczynski. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    was not complete “especially amongst non-English speaking settlers.’’ A marked improvement took place only after a new Vital Statistics Act came into force on July 1, 1916. This Act differed from the former Acts in the following points: 1. The usual functions of the Registrar-General were assigned to the Commissioner of Public Health under the direction of the “Minister” who is that “member of the Execu- tive Council whose department for the time being is charged with the administration of the Act.” 2. While the former law said nothing about registration of Indians, the new Act (as the law then in force in British Columbia) expressly states that its provisions shall not apply to “Indians within the meaning of the Act of the Dominion Parliament respecting Indians.” 3. While the former law did not request the compilation of statistics, the new Act provides in the same way as in Ontario the annual publication of a full report of the births, etc. 4. While the former law left the establishment of registra- tion divisions entirely to the decision of the Lieutenant-Gov- ernor in Council, the new Act stipulates rules similar to those then in force in Ontario. 5. The division registrar shall not only within the first week of each month transmit to the Commissioner the original birth records, but also a report of the number of births. The registrar of every city and town shall furthermore on Monday of each week transmit to the local medical health officer “a report of all births .... registered in his office for the week preceding, on such forms as may be furnished to him by the commissioner.” 6. Not only are the reports to be made by the division reg- istrar more plentiful than in any other province; but the Act is also particularly precise as to his duty of ascertaining and following up unregistered births. The registrar shall inform himself carefully of every birth .... which happens within his division. In case through default of the person required to give information a birth .... has not been registered, the registrar shall forthwith, on the expiration of thirty days from the date of the event, notify such person on the prescribed form that the infor- mation is required to be given within ten days. In case of failure to comply with the request, the registrar shall forthwith report the matter Ibid., p. 79.