A Quebec woman whose father died in British Columbia last month says her family has been unable to properly grieve because the Canada Post strike has left his remains in limbo.

Emily Walstrom said her fatherB次元官网网址檚 cremated remains were put into the mail before Canada Post employees walked off the job on Nov. 15.

That day, Walstrom received a notification from Canada Post that there would be a delay in receiving her fatherB次元官网网址檚 remains due to a B次元官网网址渓abour disruption.B次元官网网址�

She said a conversation with a Canada Post customer service representative this week left her feeling a mix of sadness and anger.

B次元官网网址淭hey are unable to tell me where his ashes are currently B次元官网网址� they donB次元官网网址檛 have the ability to know where theyB次元官网网址檝e ended up,B次元官网网址� Walstrom said.

B次元官网网址淎re his ashes in the back of a Canada Post truck parked somewhere? B次元官网网址� I donB次元官网网址檛 even know what province he is in at this point.B次元官网网址�

Dennis Walstrom died on Oct. 23 in Surrey, B.C., of complications from lung disease. The 65-year-old was originally from Manitoba and had wanted his remains buried there next to one of his brothers.

Emily Walstrom was travelling internationally when he died but had arranged for his remains to be cremated in Surrey and mailed to Ile-Perrot, west of Montreal, where she lives. Walstrom planned to take the remains to Winnipeg for a proper burial.

Walstrom said she received a notification from a funeral home on Nov. 12 that her fatherB次元官网网址檚 ashes were sent out and she should get them on Nov. 20. She also received a tracking number that indicated the same thing.

When she checked on Nov. 13, it said the item was in transit to Richmond, B.C.

Two days later, some 55,000 workers hit picket lines across the country after contract negotiations with their employer stalled.

Walstrom said while Canada Post representatives were compassionate, they were unable to offer her family solutions.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really hard to grieve the way everythingB次元官网网址檚 unfolded, because thereB次元官网网址檚 grief mixed with anger,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 scared that his ashes wonB次元官网网址檛 make it here.B次元官网网址�

Canada Post said itB次元官网网址檚 a difficult situation.

B次元官网网址淯nfortunately, the Canadian Union of Postal WorkersB次元官网网址� decision to launch a national strike means weB次元官网网址檙e not able to process or deliver items,B次元官网网址� spokesperson Lisa Liu said in an email.

B次元官网网址淎ny mail and parcels in the postal network have been secured and will be delivered on a first-in, first-out basis once operations resume. However, the national strike will continue to impact service to Canadians well after the strike activity ends.B次元官网网址�

A key issue in bargaining has been a push to expand parcel deliveries into the weekend, but the union and Canada Post are at odds over how to make it work.

The Crown corporation did not respond to follow up questions on how many other complaints they have received from people in situations similar to Walstrom.

Those working in the funeral industry say they arenB次元官网网址檛 surprised, as Canada Post is one of the only major shippers that accepts cremated remains.

B次元官网网址淲ith cremated remains, thatB次元官网网址檚 a unique individual. ItB次元官网网址檚 a personB次元官网网址檚 loved one, so (companies) are not able to replace that if the shipment was lost,B次元官网网址� said Bradd Tuck, executive director of the British Columbia Funeral Association.

B次元官网网址淢any companies wonB次元官网网址檛 accept that level of risk.B次元官网网址�

Tuck said heB次元官网网址檚 heard from members dealing with a delay in funeral services and of urns stuck in transit. He added that when strike talks began, a lot of funeral directors held off sending out cremated remains, but that wasnB次元官网网址檛 always possible.

Brett Denning, past president of the Ontario Funeral Home Association, said sending cremated remains through Canada Post is a cost-saving measure for families who may otherwise have to travel long distances to crematoriums.

He said funeral homes would not likely have been aware of the threat of a postal strike, as they are busy dealing with day-to-day operations.

B次元官网网址淲e expect as business people that other business people do what theyB次元官网网址檝e promised to do and what theyB次元官网网址檙e contracted to do. I would say thatB次元官网网址檚 where the frustration lays.B次元官网网址�

Denning and Tuck said shipping through Canada Post had been reliable before the strike.

Denning recommended Canada Post assign a special status to cremated remains that make them quickly identifiable in the companyB次元官网网址檚 system.

Walstrom said little may be able to be done for her family but hopes that in the future Canada Post makes changes in how it handles cremated remains.

B次元官网网址淚f theyB次元官网网址檙e going to take the responsibility of handling human remains, then there needs to be full responsibility for the entire process.B次元官网网址�