Editor: This is my response to the recently-proposed Senate bill S-225 on euthanasia. I hope that the newspaper is brave enough to publish it.
I am a Grade 12 student. I recently read about the bill S-225 that was proposed in the Senate, and it worried me greatly. I believe in the value of life, and the idea of assisted suicide being legalized in Canada terrified me for a few reasons. My hope is that you take a few minutes to read the points I am going to clarify and think carefully about them.
First of all, I think that the new bill really is an absolutely ridiculous proposal, because it has already been proposed once, and it was brought down with blistering opposition. It is ludicrous to propose an almost identical bill with no new information or scientific evidence to support it.
Secondly, it legalizes euthanasia without any safeguard for the patient at all. With no requirement for the physician to report a murder (pardon my language, but that’s what I truly believe it is), vulnerable persons (elderly, mentally challenged, etc.) are extremely vulnerable to a harmful or unwilling procedure. We would like to imagine that we live in a society where only those who absolutely wanted this procedure to take place would be subjected to it, but unfortunately there is always corruption present, and innocent people would be harmed every day. This bill also legalizes assisted suicide for those experiencing “physiological suffering,” a term which is not even defined. This means that anyone experiencing an emotional issue couldo choose to opt out of life simply to end their short-term suffering.
My final point is that this would label anyone who fits into the category of those expected to qualify for euthanasia as a burden. The elderly, disabled, and dependent will now appear to be a burden on families and supporters because they choose to live, even if it means possibly a little extra work for those around us. It’s a little concept called helping others. I’m sure you’ve heard it. This is, of course, only brushing the surface of a raging debate in Canada today, but I believe these points can easily establish a counter argument to those who believe life to be a burden and pointless.
Benjamin Budlong,
Langley
