X-Message-Number: 28076
From:
Subject: Re: British Columbia Anti-Cryonics Law Update
Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2006 18:23:12 US/Eastern
(For background, see http://www.cryocdn.org/law57.html )
As I have mentioned in previous postings, the next meeting
of the Cemetery, Interment & Funeral Services
Advisory Group of British Columbia will be held July 6th at an
undisclosed location, and for the first time ever, cryonics
is on the agenda. I believe that it is most important that
this meeting result in a decision that an authoritative letter
will be sent to Funeral Directors of British Columbia through
the Funeral Services Association of BC newsletter assuring them
of their legal immunity for participation in a cryonics case.
Members of the Advisory Group should be encouraged by
cryonicists (especially cryonicists in BC) to support this
decision, but cryonicists should be careful not to alienate
the Advisory Group members.
I have recently learned that one of the Advisory Group
members informed a journalist that he would
not touch a cryonics case because it is illegal to ship an
unembalmed body out of British Columbia. Subsequently I
discussed this matter with Janet Ricciutti of the BC
Funeral Services Association who informed me that until
recently there was a requirement that bodies shipped out
of BC more than 72 hours post-mortem either had to be
embalmed or shipped in a hermetically-sealed container.
Cryonics patients are hopefully shipped in less than
72 hours and in any case are typically shipped in a
metal Ziegler having rubber gaskets that are screwed
tight. Ms. Ricciutti informed me that even this law has
been relaxed to state simply that a body must be shipped
"in a manner that does not cause a health hazard" and
that their members had been informed of this in their
May 2006 newsletter. She cautioned me, however, that
10% of BC funeral directors are not members of
the Funeral Services Association and may be uninformed.
Insofar as the Funeral Services Association has clarified
the issue of embalming and shipment to most of their
members, our emphasis should be on their awareness of
the ability of BC funeral directors to legally assist
in cryonics cases. A suggested letter, e-mail message or
FAX to each of the Advisory Group members could contain
some of the following suggested content:
***************************************************
Dear XXXX,
I am writing to you because you are a member of the BPCPA
Cemetery, Interment & Funeral Services Advisory Group,
and because the subject of cryonics is on the agenda of
the next meeting of the Group on July 6.
I am concerned that too many funeral directors in BC
believe that Section 14 of Bill 3 (2004) (the Cremation,
Interment and Funeral Services Act) makes it illegal for
a BC citizen to contract for cryonics services with a
cryonics organization outside of BC and believe that it is
illegal for a BC funeral director to assist in the shipping
of a body in a cryonics case. Some funeral directors even
believe that it is illegal for any reason to ship an
unembalmed body out of BC. None of these beliefs are true.
My request is that the Advisory Group direct that a letter
be written from an authoritative source to the funeral directors
of BC informing them that although marketing of cryonics is
prohibited by Section 14 that BC funeral directors are legally
permitted to assist in shipment of a body to a cryonics
organization located outside of the province.
Your help in this matter would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
ZZZZZ
***************************************************
Below is a PDF webpage which lists all of the members of the
Advisory Group. I have listed the members below the
PDF link and have given at least some contact information
for each of the members. Note that this is basically the
same list that I have posted previously, but that some
further contact information has been supplied by Olaf Henny.
-- Ben Best
Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authority (BPCPA)
of British Columbia Cemetery, Interment & Funeral Services
Advisory Group:
http://www.bpcpa.ca/Docs/CIFSA_advisory_group.pdf
(1) Kay Johnson, Director, Griefworks BC
4500 Oak St. Rm E405
Vancouver, BC
Canada V6H 3N1
E-mail: [person(at)griefworksbc.com]
BC Toll free number 1-877-234-3322
http://www.griefworksbc.com/
(2) Jason W. Everden, General Manager
Everden Rust Funeral Services & Crematorium
1910 Windsor Road
Kelowna, BC V1Y 4R5
1-250-860-8440
http://www.everdenrust.com/
(3) Janet E. Ricciutti, Executive Director
Funeral Services Association of BC
Suite 211
2187 Oak Bay Ave.
Victoria, B.C.
Canada V8R 1G1
Telephone: (250) 592-3213
Toll Free (in Canada): (800) 665-3899
Fax: (250) 592-4362
E-mail: [info(at)bcfunerals.com]
http://www.bcfunerals.com/
(4) Lawrence G. Little, Owner
Personal Alternatives Funeral Services Limited
(604) 662-7700
http://www.personalalternative.com/index.php?pageId=10
[info(at)pafs.net]
(5) John M. Chasca,
President of BC Independent Family Funeral Home Association
and Owner of McPherson's Funeral Home
McPherson Funeral Services, John M. Chasca
2200 - 2nd Street South
Cranbrook, BC, V1C 1E1 Canada
Telephone : 250-426-3132
Email : [mcphersonfh(at)shaw.ca]
(6) Stephen C. Olson, Secretary Treasurer
Cemetery and Crematorium Association of British Columbia
211 - 2187 Oak Bay Avenue
Victoria, BC V8R 1G1
http://www.ccabc.org/
Email: [info(at)ccabc.org]
Phone: 1-800-665-3899
(7) Ellen Leslie, Executive Director, Memorial Society of British Columbia
#212 -- 1847 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC
Canada V6J 1Y6
E-mail: [mail(at)memorialsocietybc.org]
Tel (604) 733-7705
FAX (604) 733-7730
Toll Free (Canada) PHONE 1-888-816-5902
Toll Free (Canada) FAX 1-888-816-5903
http://www.memorialsocietybc.org/
(8) Tom R. Aquiline, Deputy Director,
Industry Relations, BPCPA
PO Box 9244
Victoria BC
V8W 9J2
Telephone: (604) 296-2855
E-mail: [tom.aquiline(at)bcpcpa.ca]
(Not a Member, but sometimes attending) Tayt Winnitoy, BPCPA Director of
Operations
P. O. Box 9244
Victoria, British Columbia
Canada V8W 9J2
Telephone: (604) 320-1667 (9 for directory then 8298 for TAYT)
Fax: (250) 920-7181
Toll Free (in Canada): (888) 564-9963
E-mail:
[tayt.winnitoy(at)bpcpa.ca]
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