Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Francine Lalonde to introduce bill to legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide in Canada

Francine Lalonde
The other day I sent out an alert stating:
BQ MP Francine Lalonde gave notice on Thursday Feb. 11 that she will be introducing a Private Members Bill to legalize assisted suicide. Bills require at least 2 days notice before they are officially introduced.)

http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=40&Ses=2&DocId=3666245&File=11

February 11, 2009 — Ms. Lalonde (La Pointe-de-l'Île) — Bill entitled "An Act to amend the Criminal Code (right to die with dignity)".
I was quoted by Lifesite News in this way:
Alex Schadenberg
Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, commented to LifeSiteNews.com about Lalonde's most recent attempt, saying, "We are very concerned about the bill.

"Our primary concern," he said, "is that euthanasia and assisted suicide directly threatens the lives of the most vulnerable in society. We should not be focused on how to take the lives of the vulnerable but rather how we should be caring for them.

"To legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide represents the right of one person to take the life of another person. Our society should not be going there."
As soon as the bill is available we will publish a commentary on it.

2 comments:

Elizabeth said...

My very good friend had a difficult time getting her father, who had dementia, cared for properly because of her sister-in-law's interference. "He could live for another 10 years!" was the woman's angry outburst when my friend wanted to keep her dad in his own home. I strongly believe that the "right to die" will very quickly become a "duty to die" as elderly people are pressured by their children and grandchildren to exit before the younger people's inheritance runs out. At this point I believe most such arguments are couched as quality of life issues, but even that will change if euthanasia becomes legal and acceptable. We need to pray!

Anonymous said...

The lack of an official sanction for assisted suicide means either it happens covertly, and thus is ripe for abuse, or you are mandating people who want to die suffer for it. Someone with ALS with complete paralysis, who has nothing to look forward to except drowning in their own saliva and lots of daytime TV, who begs for death, could really use some help. Assisted suicide is one option, withdrawal of feeding/liquids is another, horrible way to die, or they could just lie there, conscious but completely immobile.

There are circumstances where assisted suicide is humane.