X-Message-Number: 27918
From: 
Subject: British Columbia Anti-Cryonics Law Update
Date: Sun, 7 May 2006 04:22:11 US/Eastern

  I have spoken on the phone to three of the British Columbia 
officials whom I have been requesting people in the cryonics 
community to lobby. All three of them seem like very reasonable 
people and nice people who want to be helpful. 

  Janet Ricciatti, Executive Director of the BC Funeral
Services Association told me that she had heard more about
the anti-cryonics law in the last two weeks than she had 
heard about it in the 16 years she has been with the Funeral 
Services Association. She said that she has only heard
from cryonics advocates outside of British Columbia, not
from British Columbia consumers or funeral industry 
representatives. She agreed that she might publish a 
statement in the BC funeral directors' newsletter informing 
them that they would not be legally endangered by assisting 
with a cryonics case for a cryonics organization outside 
of BC. She suggested that I e-mail her a proposed statement.

  Tom Aquiline is both Deputy Director of Industry Relations 
for the BC Business Practices & Consumer Protection Authority 
(BPCPA) and Chairman of the BPCPA Cemetery, Interment & Funeral 
Services Advisory Group. He told me that the next meeting of 
the Advisory Group will be July 6th and that the anti-cryonics
law and the legal liabilities of BC funeral directors is 
scheduled to be discussed at that meeting. He told me that 
the impetus for changing legislation comes from consumer 
groups and industry groups. He said that he would be happy to
discuss the results of the July 6th meeting with me, and he
even requested my phone number and e-mail address. 

   I spoke to Betty Down, who is a Senior Policy & Legislation
Analyst for the Ministry of Public Safety and the Solicitor 
General. She seemed friendly and helpful, but mainly was telling 
me that her role in changing legislation is minimal. She said 
that the impetus for changing legislation would mainly come from 
industry Advisory Groups, and that she passes recommendations
on to the Solicitor General. She said that appeals can also 
be made directly to the Solicitor General. 

   I was unable to reach Tayt Winnitoy, who I have spoken to
previously. I phoned him numerous times, but always got his 
answering machine. He has not returned any of my calls. I 
am now suspecting that he simply did not answer the phone
when he say "Cryonics Institute" on caller display, but I am
not concerned enough to try calling from another number. I think
that too much attention may have been focused on Tayt at the
expense of reaching others who are influential with the 
government or with BC funeral directors. 

   I still think that pro-cryonics people living in British
Columbia would do well to contact Janet Ricciutti, Tom Aquiline,
Tayt Winnitoy and even Betty Down to express their concern
over difficulties getting co-operation from BC funeral directors
-- or at least expressing displeasure at the fact that their 
beloved province has an anti-cryonics law. 

   I think that cryonicists living outside of British Columbia
would be most effective by contacting the Solicitor General,
giving reasons why the anti-cryonics law should be eliminated.
Communications should be reasonable and well-informed rather
than hostile and self-righteous, in my opinion. I do not have
an e-mail address for the Solicitor General -- only mailing
address, phone and fax numbers. I will forward an e-mail 
address if I discover one. 

   It would probably be best if cryonicists compose their 
own letters. But if your imagination fails you then send the
form letter I have created:


**********************************************************
Honorable John Les
Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General 
PO Box 9053
STN PROV GOVT
Victoria, BC 
Canada V8W 9E2

   In Bill 3 (2004), the Cremation, Interment and Funeral Services
Act, Section 14 states that a person must not offer for sale or 
sell an arrangement based on cryonics that is offered on the 
expectation of resuscitation of human remains at a future time. 
This section is a rewrite of a similarly worded law that was 
created in 1990 by a single bureaucrat (David Oliver) with the
acquiescence of his committee. There was no consultation with
cryonicists or scientists familiar with cryonics technology. 

  No other province or state in North America has a similar 
piece of legislation. When the Alberta government was 
considering legislation similar to that in BC they agreed to consult 
with the Cryonics Society of Canada before making a decision. In 
the 16 years that BC's anti-cryonics law has been in effect no one 
in the government of British Columbia has ever consulted with anyone 
knowledgeable about cryonics or with expertise in the science 
behind cryonics.

   Decades ago cessation of heartbeat was equated with the 
finality of any potential for life. With defibrillators this is
no longer necessarily true. Cryonicists believe that future 
technologies will cure diseases that are currently fatal and 
allow for regeneration of organs. Molecular repair technologies
may be able to resuscitate, rejuvenate and/or reconstruct 
body tissues. Prospects are best for the best preserved human
remains, which requires rapid cool-down and cardio-pulmonary
support soon after clinical death. 

  I believe that British Columbia's anti-cryonics law is an 
embarrassment to the Province and an impediment to human progress.
I strongly urge that this offensive piece of legislation be removed.

       Respectfully yours,

**********************************************************

  Below is the contact information I have for influential persons 
in the British Columbia government or with the BC funeral directors.

              -- Ben Best

**********************************************************
Janet Ricciutti, Executive Director
Funeral Service Association of British Columbia
Suite 211
2187 Oak Bay Ave.
Victoria, BC.
Canada V8R 1G1

Telephone: (250) 592-3213
Toll Free (in Canada): (800) 665-3899
Fax: (250) 592-4362
E-mail:  [info(at)bcfunerals.com]
**********************************************************
Tom R. Aquiline, Deputy Director of Industry Relations
Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authority

Telephone: (604) 296-2855
E-mail:  [tom.aquiline(at)bcpcpa.ca]
**********************************************************
Honorable John Les
Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General 
PO Box 9053
STN PROV GOVT
Victoria, BC 
Canada V8W 9E2
  	
Phone: (250) 356-7717
Fax: (250) 356-8270
**********************************************************
Tayt Winnitoy, Director of Operations
Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authority
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]
**********************************************************
Ms. Betty Down
PO BOX 9283
STN PROV GOVT
Victoria BC
V8W 9J7 CANADA
Tel: (250) 387-3398
FAX: (250) 387-2631
E-mail:  [Betty.Down(at)gov.bc.ca]

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