PCs push for new details on overflowing St. John's morgue

They might be out of sight, but the industrial freezers that were holding dozens of bodies in a parking garage outside the Health Sciences Centre in St. John's are not out of mind for PC health critic Barry Petten.

On March 6, CBC News first reported that 28 bodies were being stored in freezer units in an alleyway outside the Health Sciences Centre due to a lack of space in the morgue, which doubles as the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

In July, the Newfoundland and Labrador government transferred the bodies into three new freezer units in the hospital's underground parking garage.

Now, four months later, Petten is looking for an update. He brought his concern to the floor of the House of Assembly on Thursday.

"How many bodies are presently in the parking garage at the Health Sciences Centre?" Petten the governing Liberals. 

Health Minister John Hogan responded to Petten, but didn't provide the numbers, citing privacy concerns.

"There are, obviously, a number of bodies there and some which are the responsibility of NLHS [and] some are with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner," Hogan said.

The number of bodies stored was not private information in July.

"The number was released at 30, and now, all of a sudden, it is a secret," Petten said.

Privacy concerns

PC MHA Paul Dinn spoke to reporters after question period on Thursday. He raised concerns similar to Petten.

Both PC MHAs want families to have the option to give their loved ones a proper burial if they are stored in one of the freezers. 

Dinn said he doesn't understand how providing an update would be a privacy breach.

"You're not asking what communities these bodies came from or how they ended up where they are. You're simply asking a number question," he said. "I'm at a loss as to why that would be considered a privacy breach."

In the legislature, Hogan agreed with Petten on the need for proper burials.

"So believe it or not, I agree with the member for Conception Bay South," Hogan said. 

Addressing loophole

The solution, Hogan said, will be introduced during this sitting of the House of Assembly. 

There is a notice on the order paper to amend the Provincial Health Authority Act and the Fatalities Investigation Act.

According to Hogan, making the amendment will allow the province to take care of the bodies that are left unclaimed. 

"There is a loophole, really, that there are bodies over there that can't be dealt with by the chief medical examiner, by NLHS or by the public trustee," Hogan said.

He hopes both sides of the House will agree to pass the legislation in the next couple of weeks.

On Tuesday, CBC News contacted Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services for an update on the number of bodies being stored at the Health Sciences morgue, citing that the number had been released in July.

However, communications manager Mikaela Etchegary declined, saying the number would not be provided out of "respect for the families."

While privacy was not an issue in July, Etchagary said in a subsequent email that the authority "recognizes that this is a challenging situation for families and loved ones."

"We are committed to working with government, funeral home operators, the families or public trustee of those who have passed away in one of our facilities, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to identify and navigate the appropriate next steps," she wrote. 

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