Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today I spoke on a sensitive topic pertaining to lack of legislation around the functioning of a crematorium. I want to convey again my respect of such topic to the many cultures sensitive to the subject.
The costs of a cremation are respectfully more affordable than traditional embalming, casket and burial. As I mentioned earlier today, without the proper legislation means we cannot have a functioning crematorium in the Northwest Territories. As a result, families must incur extra expenses to send loved ones to southern facilities. It is with this topic in mind I wish to address my questions today to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.
Could the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs indicate any recent NWT statistics on the number of residents who are cremated versus traditional burial?
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The honourable Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Robert McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs doesn’t keep statistics related to death. However, based on the death registration statements filed with Vital Statistics, there were 113 burials and 34 cremations in 2012. These numbers are approximate as some members did not put burial or cremation on the statements.
I appreciate the Minister’s response to that. Seeing that regulation of a crematorium in Canada is a provincial/territorial responsibility, without the proper legislation could NWT municipalities grant status to the operation of a crematorium in the absence of NWT legislation?
We have not received any type of request from the funeral industry or from the community governments to establish cremation services in the Northwest Territories. In order to establish this industry, we would need to complete further research to better understand the legal requirements or the need for enabling legislation.
I agree that there ought to be a stepped approach for requirements. Is it safe to say that the need of a proper legislation for the functioning of a crematorium lies in the hands of the territorial government, yet we’re waiting for a request, I guess, from the general public or organization? Given that fact, we are only one of two remaining jurisdictions in Canada without such legislation, it bears to ask the question, could the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs consider such legislation in the absence of requests from public. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
We would have to weigh this against any other legislation that we are planning on bringing forward. Given that we haven’t had much contact with those who provide the service, it may not be a priority right now. However, that could change. If there’s a feeling that we need to proceed with this, then we’d have to step back and look at that, again considering the financial costs and the other legislation that we have right now. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess my last question for the Minister would be: If there was a formal application from an organization or municipality to start up the crematoria functionality, would the department or Minister be willing to look at legislation upon application? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, again, looking at the priorities as far as legislation goes, we would have to weigh this. Also, I said we haven’t had any feedback from industry or community governments on this particular type of legislation; however, if committee were to come forward with a request, we would have to have a look at it and explore options going forward from there. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
