Third Generation National Delegate from CANADA

VALÉRIE GARNEAU - Third Generation I.C.D. Delegate from Canada

FIAT-IFTA President Hiroshi Kitajima welcomes the newly appointed delegate from Canada. After Past Presidents Gilles Poirier and Marc Poirier, Valérie Garneau will represent the Canadian Funeral Industry.

Born in Québec, the french-speaking province of Canada, Valérie has been involved in the provincial and national funeral service industry for a long time. She started working in the family funeral business as the fourth generation after completing her studies in business administration and funeral services in 1997. Through Valérie’s hard work and dedication over the last 10 years, the family business has more than doubled in size and the company has recently built two new funeral complexes. She has two sons and a daughter with her husband, Joël, who also works in the funeral business. Their second son will become the fifth generation of funeral directors in the family after completing his studies.

Valérie was the first female president of the Corporation des thanatologues du Québec (CTQ); she was also the youngest when she held this position from 2012 to 2015. During her tenure, Valérie initiated the development of a long-awaited modernization of the law that regulates the funeral industry within the province.
An active member of several local charities, committees and boards, Valérie believes in giving back to her community. She is especially involved with helping parents and children cope with the death of a loved one.

As the Canadian representative at FIAT-IFTA, Valérie is looking forward to collaborating with international members to build a new business model for future generations in keeping with traditions, as well as liaising between the Canadian and international industries.