In recent Canadian history, there has been controversy over whether the scattering of cremated remains over water is acceptable. Although cremation has been practiced by people of various faiths, the scattering over water is largely practiced by Hindus and Sikhs. It seems that the problem of doing this is that many people argue that it can create water pollution. There have also been rumours that more than just ashes being dumped into the lakes and rivers-- there were stories being told that Hindus were putting body parts in the water as well. While this seems to have been exaggerated, the complaints of many people have encouraged the province of Ontario to put together a research group to study the effects of the ashes in the water. The conclusion was that there was nothing wrong with scattering the ashes.
Because the government wanted to be respectful to the cultural diversity of Hinduism, they announced that in Ontario, approval is not needed to scatter ashes on any Crown land. This land would include conservation areas, provincial parks, and bodies of water that is big enough for large ships to go through, such as the Great Lakes. Because of the controversy, the Hindu Federation of Canada hopes to create a set of guidelines for Canadian Hindus who want to scatter ashes. One of these guidelines would be that ashes should be scattered at least half a kilometer from the shoreline. This effort would create less tension because not only would it be further away, but it would be ‘out of sight, out of mind’. Both the Hindus and the Government are willing to sacrifice in order to respect rituals and environment.
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