Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to convey the sensitivity of my topic today, and that topic is about cremation and the regulations around the functioning of a crematorium. Admittedly, I’m very respectful of the topic around some of our Aboriginal cultures and for that I ask some leniency for today’s Member’s statement.
Approximately 30 percent of people who die in the NWT are cremated, according to Janice McKenna of McKenna Funeral Home. As striking as this statistic is, it is equally interesting that the NWT and Nunavut are the only two jurisdictions left in Canada that lack legislation for providing regulation of a crematorium. For the record, Yukon has enabling legislation but has no regulations at this juncture.
It is also important to point out that the City of Yellowknife has a by-law covering the operation of cemeteries and how remains are to be disposed within the city, but the by-law does not cover the operation of a crematorium.
As well, I must point out that the NWT regulates the disposal of cremated remains in the Vital Statistics Act and that act just came into effect January 1st of this calendar year. However, again, this act does not regulate the operation of a crematorium.
The question remains that the costs of cremation are typically much cheaper than embalming, casket and burial, but because we lack legislative capacity, we are not able to offer families of the NWT a viable cost option at the time of their grieving. I believe we owe it to these families to have such options.
The regulation of a crematorium in Canada is a provincial/territorial responsibility in which municipalities often play a role, and it is with this in mind that I will be asking the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs to which degree his department will be able to facilitate that legislation for the people of the Northwest Territories.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
