Canadian Heritage committee  Who would you consult? First off, there's an organization in Toronto called the Ontario Multifaith Council. Various religious groups come together to discuss areas of mutual concern. I don't know if that exists nationally, but consulting various faiths and cultural authorities to

Canadian Heritage committee  It has to be deviated from in order to address the variety of needs we're faced with. Absolutely it has to have that degree of flexibility. As a professional I would say that we always consider any of these to be a zero-defect mission. We can't do it twice. There is no such thing

Canadian Heritage committee  I agree entirely that we have to maintain this level of flexibility. However, there are going to be some key elements such as the flag. What can we do with the flag? The following four points are ways in which you can celebrate a life lost with the presence of the Canadian flag,

Canadian Heritage committee  I would answer that in a couple of ways. First, generally, when you witness the funeral or the ceremony that unfolds in front of you, it will be seamless. Whether we've had to negotiate a variety of options and make adjustments and try to adapt, when you see it unfold it's always

Canadian Heritage committee  Absolutely. I've had a variety of circumstances. I won't relate the specifics of most, but I've had a flag blow off a casket during a ceremony where a great deal of respect and reverence was paid to placing the casket on the grave. Everyone was gathered, as they were to have been

Canadian Heritage committee  I do completely.

Canadian Heritage committee  I agree completely. The “who”, in my opinion, is history and heritage. You asked about frustration, and I wouldn't characterize what we do as resulting in frustration. We're used to opposing viewpoints, and we've become very adept at creating options and alternatives, which is

Canadian Heritage committee  I know other people have appeared before the committee. I work very closely with Stewart Kellock, the sergeant for the Toronto Police Service, who came to you and said the same thing, that during a variety of events that we have been involved in, we sought direction from any sour

Canadian Heritage committee  Yes. In particular, the multicultural fabric of our nation dictates that we have to have that flexibility to address the variety of needs identified in the Canadian population today.

Canadian Heritage committee  Absolutely.

Canadian Heritage committee  Mr. Chair and members of the committee, my name is Allan Cole. I am a funeral director, a mortuary affairs specialist, a logistics specialist, and even an event planner of sorts. I am a proud member of the Funeral Service Association of Canada; however, the work I do, to some de