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Archiver > QUEBEC-RESEARCH > 2004-10 > 1098840101


From: Denise Larin <>
Subject: Re: Quebec Cemeteries
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 2004 21:21:41 -0400
References: <001301c4bb7f$bf2aa420$e01751cf@bc.hsia.telus.net>
In-Reply-To: <001301c4bb7f$bf2aa420$e01751cf@bc.hsia.telus.net>


I know of one case when something like this happened. I saw it a few
months ago on J.E., a television program where they try to help
people gain their causes against defrauders, etc.

A family originally from a small village near St. Jovite in the
Laurentians (I don't remember the name of the village) had moved away
from the area. There was an ad put in the newspapers a couple of
times to inform them that the lease of their family plot at the
cemetery had expired and that the fees had not been paid to renew
the lease. The family was not aware of this and when the lady and her
adult children came back in the area to pay a visit to the husband's
tombstone a couple of years later, they found out that someone else's
name was on the tombstone. It was the name of a still living priest
from that parish. His name was there and year of birth and of course
no burial date. He had leased the plot and had the tombstone
sandblasted and then engraved to his own name.

The family contacted the authorities of the cemetery and the priest,
but he did not want to give up. He was interviewed by the J.E. team
and was very arrogant and stiff in his position although the family
was crying and begging him to reconsider. The J.E. team made a
follow up after a few months and finally the priest accepted to give
them back the plot and they could pay for the fees up to date.

I know I was mad at that priest at the time and wanted to write him a
"not so nice" letter but finally did not do it. I guess other people
had the same idea and did go all the way with it.

Denise

>This is what was written on a website I found online and I wonder if
>this is so:
>
>"In Quebec, cemetery plots are by law NOT purchased, but LEASED for
>99 years. At the end of the lease, a notice is published in local
>newspapers, listing the surnames of the plots about to expire.
>
>If no one comes forward to renew the lease, the deceased is dug up,
>reburied a few feet deeper and the plot is available for a new
>burial. The inscription on any tombstone is sandblasted off and
>will be reused in situ."
>
>Thanks.......Marnie Oliver Ingvaldson, Vancouver, BC
>
>______________________________

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