The Quebec coroner’s office is conducting an inquiry following the circulation of a video online depicting a funeral transporter employee mishandling a deceased body. The video, lacking audio, captures a man on a lengthy second-floor balcony in Quebec City pulling a white body bag across the balcony’s length. The footage, shared on Facebook by radio host Stéphane Dupont, abruptly ends as the man approaches the stairs. Dupont mentioned to CBC that he did not record the incident himself but received it from a witness who sent it to him. He deliberated on posting the video but decided it was crucial to highlight the incident, labeling it as “shocking.” Dupont expressed his personal connection to the matter, stating that having lost his parents a few years ago, he couldn’t fathom them being treated in such a manner.
Annie St-Pierre, the executive director of the Corporation des thanatologues du Québec, an association representing individuals in Quebec’s funeral industry, expressed her concern over the video. She emphasized that regardless of the circumstances, the observed transportation conditions were distressing and unacceptable, indicating a lack of respect for human dignity. St-Pierre outlined the proper procedures for moving a body, emphasizing the importance of securing the body to a stretcher carried by two individuals.
The coroner’s office spokesperson, Jake Lamotta Granato, confirmed in an email to Radio-Canada that the individual in the video is an employee of a contracted private funeral transporter working with the coroner. Lamotta Granato stated that the contract with the transporter has been suspended pending an investigation. He stressed that the office has contractual obligations with approximately 100 private carriers concerning service quality and respect for the deceased and their families. Lamotta Granato made it clear that any failure to meet these obligations would result in swift action, as seen in this case. The coroner’s office has also apologized to the family affected.
St-Pierre expressed relief that the coroner’s office acted promptly and initiated an investigation. While acknowledging the incident without justification, she highlighted ongoing challenges in the industry, such as labor shortages and the urgency to promptly handle deceased individuals. St-Pierre acknowledged the demanding nature of the funeral transporter role and the difficulty in finding qualified individuals. She assured full cooperation from her organization with the coroner’s office and the public security minister to prevent a recurrence of such incidents. Quebec’s Public Security Minister Ian Lafrenière condemned the event and endorsed the actions taken by the coroner’s office, demonstrating confidence in its procedures.