The Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) is leading the moral and ethical down spiral. The federal government received a measly four-month extension from the SCC to rewrite the laws that it struck down, that made abetting, counselling or providing the means to compel someone to commit suicide a criminal offence, punishable by 14 years of imprisonment. It was meant to protect the vulnerable. That “right” is now given to physicians. Will those physicians who oppose providing the means or directly killing their patients be granted exemption? What becomes legal becomes a duty!
The government has been mandated to rewrite the struck-down law on assisted suicide. Will they put safeguards in place, modelled after Holland and Belgium where people are euthanized with or without their consent, where parents can request the death of a child that they deem incompatible with life, and where depressed people qualify?
The Provincial-Territorial Advisory Group on Physician Assisted Death released its report, defining a “grievous and irremediable’’ condition as a serious illness or disability that cannot be alleviated any means acceptable to the patient, as justifying assisted suicide.
In the meantime, Quebec’s euthanasia law had several court challenges, lastly the SCC giving Quebec the right to circumvent the Criminal Code of Canada. Quebec’s law is a recipe for abuse. It does not limit euthanasia to terminally ill people – a grave and incurable illness suffices. People with disabilities who are in a state of advanced and irreversible decline qualify. The law states that euthanasia death must be reported after the death has occurred. Since the person is dead before the report is submitted, how can the person be protected from abuse.
Euthanasia and assisted suicide puts a burden on the elderly, making them feel that they should avail themselves of death. Or rich aunt Gladys who is just living too long for the inheritor, she can be made miserable. Sadly elder abuse is widespread.
Canada can do better, it must increase palliative care.
Hildegard Krieg
