X-Message-Number: 28205
From: 
Subject: British Columbia Anti-Cryonics Law Update
Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2006 23:56:12 US/Eastern

  Insofar as I have posted the reply to Robin Helweg-Larsen
by BC Solicitor General John Les, I might as well post the
similar reply of the Solicitor General to British Columbia 
cryonicist Fred Hinsch. The reply letter is almost identical.
Notably, both containing the statement:

"...are particularly vulnerable to the promise of being brought back to
life when this clearly cannot be delivered by present-day science."

which (as another cryonicist has observed) indicates "that John Les 
misses the whole point of cryonics. We realize that we cannot be brought 
back to life by 'present'-day science and that is why we want to be 
cryo-preserved until the time comes that 'future' science can."

  Further letters to John Les should attempt to educate him on this
point, although I still doubt that anything less than a court battle
has much hope of affecting the BC law. And before the July 19 meeting
of the British Columbia (BPCPA) Cemetery, Interment & Funeral Services 
Advisory Group I think it is unwise to be ruffling feathers. There are 
indications that Janet Ricciutti, Executive Director Funeral Services 
Association of BC, is becoming increasingly irritable on the subject
of cryonics. 

   For those interested in educating John Les (AFTER July 19), his 
mailing address is:

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

(I still have no e-mail address for him.) 

 -- Ben Best 

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

Dear Mr. Hinsch:
I am responding to your May 22, 2006 e-mail, regarding prohibition 
on sales, and offers of sale, of arrangements relating to cryonics 
and irradiation in the Cremation, Interment and Funeral Services Act.

At this point in time, information continues to support the view that 
the benefits of the present legislation outweigh any drawbacks.  
Government continues to be concerned about British Columbians who 
may be taken advantage of at a time when they are experiencing grief 
and sorrow associated with the loss of a family member or friend.  
Government is also troubled by the notion that consumers, who are 
contemplating their own immortality or who have a terminal medical 
or health situation, are particularly vulnerable to the promise of 
being brought back to life when in fact this clearly cannot be 
delivered by present-day science.     

Government intends to maintain the consumer protections provided 
through the Cremation, Interment and Funeral Services Act as we 
believe these provisions continue to be in the best interests of 
the public and help to ensure a fair marketplace for British Columbia 
consumers and businesses.

Thank you for writing.

Yours truly,

John Les
Solicitor General 

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

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=28205