CEMETERIES ACT FULL OF HOLES - RUNCIMAN
Government policy may discourage acknowledgement of Indian Burial sites
(Brockville)- Leeds-Grenville MPP, Bob Runciman, issued an Open Letter to the Minister of Government Services, Gerry Phillips, and the Minister Responsible for Native Affairs, David Ramsay, over concerns with the Cemeteries Act that could have devastating results for communities, businesses, and the province alike. Under the Provincial Cemeteries Act (1990), a community or individual that unearths remains on their property is deemed financially responsible for the scientific analysis, security, and professional excavation to ensure that the remains are handled appropriately.
“The Act dictates how one must handle remains when found, but offers nothing by the way of compensation,” said the long-time MPP. “This ‘hole’ in the Act should concern any community considering a capital project or the company contracted, as it could prove to be costly.”
Runciman was alerted to this ‘hole’ in the Act when construction of the Town of Prescott’s new OPP detachment was halted when native remains were discovered on the site.
“Preliminary reports have costs to the Town in excess of $30, 000, and to the contractor as high as $100,000 due to the project being halted,” noted Runciman. “My concern is that without provincial compensation, communities with small tax bases could be overwhelmed by the costs associated with the requirements in the Act. Also, the lack of incentive to treat remains with the respect they deserve could lead to a greater public incident,” Runciman asserted.
