A Brantford man says he is distraught after learning his father’s cremated remains are apparently lost in the mail.
Jim Graham said that, on Jan. 7, his stepsister, Lori Mills, of Peterborough, Ont., mailed him some of the ashes of his father, Bertram.
But the ashes have yet to be delivered to Graham’s Able Avenue home.
“This is my father, we’re talking about,” Graham said in an interview. “I just can’t understand it.”
He said his sister followed Canada Post’s guidelines for mailing cremated remains.
Graham has a tracking number that shows the last known location of the package as Peterborough.
Canada Post is investigating.
“This is an unfortunate situation,” Canadian Post spokesperson Phil Rogers said in response to questions from The Expositor.
“We understand the importance of this item and therefore investigated immediately when first contacted by the customer expecting the delivery.”
Rogers said Canada Post is in contact with the sender.
“Today, we received a detailed description of the parcel that will allow us to continue investigating within our network,” he said. “We certainly understand the concerns this situation has caused.
“We regret and apologize to the customer for their experience.”
Graham said he is hopeful the search is successful.
While he is upset, he said the situation has caused even more distress for his stepsister.
Following his father’s death several years ago, Graham said he and his stepsister lost touch. They recently resumed contact and Mills offered to send him some of his father’s ashes.
“She thought it was only right that she do this and I’m really grateful for that,” Graham said.
Graham said he has always had good experiences with Canada Post.
“I run a small business and I rely on Canada Post and they’ve never let me down — until now,” he said. “But this is the most important package that I could have ever received.”
Canada Post allows cremated remains to be sent through its delivery services by way of priority, Xpresspost and expedited and regular parcel services.
However, Canada Post says such items are mailed at the sender’s own risk. As well, it provides no coverage for loss or damage.
For more details about sending cremated remains through Canada Post visit www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/support/articles/abcs-of-mailing/cremated-remains.page .
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