North Okanagan-Shuswap’s MP has opposed proposed medical assisted dying legislation.
Conservative Mel Arnold says he had no choice but to vote Wednesday against the Liberal bill because of constituent input and what he says is unclear wording about who is eligible for assistance.
“Legislation of this gravity must be precise in the conditions and safeguards it sets out leaving no room for ambiguity or misinterpretation,” he said.
C-14 will now be studied by the standing committee on justice before being sent back to the House of Commons with possible amendments which will be debated and voted on again.
Arnold hopes there can be a thorough discussion.
“We need to fully consider all the implications of what is being presented in the bill,” he said.
On Tuesday, the government proposal was the subject of a meeting in Vernon.
Alex Schadenberg, of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, spoke to 80 people at the Schubert Centre.
Schadenberg says Bill C-14 fails to protect the vulnerable.
“When signing a request for euthanasia, the bill requires that a medical or nurse practitioner to only: be satisfied that the request was signed and dated by the person, which is a pretty minimal standard,” states event organizers in a release.
When the person is unable to sign the request, the bill allows anyone to sign the request. Section 4 states: anyone can sign the request so long as they are at least 18 years of age and who understands the nature of the request. That’s a frightening thought.”
