Petition: Stop euthanasia Bill 52 in Québec

Link to the Online Petition.

Dear Honourable Peter MacKay,

We urge you to act by bringing an injunction against the Québec euthanasia bill 52 and by asking the court to strike down the bill as unconstitutional.

Please consider the following reasons:

1. Euthanasia is recognized as a form of homicide in the federal criminal code.
2. Bill 52 defines killing by euthanasia as a part of "health care".
3. Bill 52 will give Québec doctors the right to lethally inject their patients when they are physically or psychological suffering.
4. Bill 52 does not limit euthanasia to terminally ill people. The bill states that a person must be at the end of life but the bill doesn't define "end of life" and it allows euthanasia for psychological suffering, which cannot be defined.
5. Bill 52 targets people with disabilities. The bill states that a person must be in “an advanced and irreversible decline of function.” Many people with disabilities fit this criteria. Since the bill does not define "end of life" euthanasia will be easily extended to people with disabilities.
6. Choice is illusory. It is impossible to ensure that a person is not under pressure, directly or indirectly. It is common for a dependent person to not want to be a burden to their family.
7. Children will gain access to euthanasia. Bill 52 limits euthanasia to adults, but since theQuebec government has defined euthanasia as part of "Health care" therefore the courts will soon extend euthanasia to children based on the equality and human rights of children.
8. Bill 52 cannot be controlled. Bill 52 requires a doctor to notify the Commission on end of life care within 10 days of lethally injecting a person. Doctors in other jurisdictions who abuse the euthanasia law do not self-report abuse. A 2010 Netherlands study found that 23% of all assisted deaths were not reported and a study from Belgium found that doctors do not report assisted deaths that are done outside of the law.
9. Bill 52 defines “medical aid in dying” (euthanasia) as a part of end-of-life care.

Bill 52 creates a right to end-of-life care. Since euthanasia is defined as part of end-of-life care, the bill therefore creates a right to euthanasia.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

Link to the Online Petition.

EPC and its Québec counterparts want you to know: 

• Euthanasia is defined as homicide in the federal Criminal Code. Bill 52 defined killing by lethal injection as "health care" in order to avoid the Criminal Code prohibition.

• Bill 52 gave Québec doctors the right to lethally inject their patients for physical or psychological suffering. Bill 52 does not define psychological suffering. 

• Bill 52 does not limit euthanasia to terminally ill people. The bill states that a person must be “at the end of life” but the bill does not define end of life.   

• Bill 52 targets people with disabilities. Bill 52 states that a person must be in “an advanced state of irreversible decline in capability.” Many people with disabilities fit these criteria. Since the bill does not define "end of life" euthanasia will be extended to people with disabilities. 

Bill 52 is unconstitutional and needs to be challenged in the court.
Bill 52 is imprecise and open to abuse.
Bill 52 is lethal. 

Links to other articles:

• Québec euthanasia bill (May 22) press conference.
• Québec’s euthanasia Bill 52 is lethal.
• Palliative care leaders oppose Québec Liberal government plan to re-introduce euthanasia.
• Expert’s condemn Québec’s Bill 52.