A supporter of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC) contacted us today concerning Resolution No. 28 at the upcoming Congress of Union Retirees of Canada (CURC) conference that is being held in Port Elgin on October 12 - 14, 2011.If you are a member of CURC, you need to speak to your local representatives immediately and tell them to vote against Resolution No. 28.
RESOLUTION No. 28 - DEATH WITH DIGNITY
[Submitted by the Hamilton, Burlington and Oakville Area Council of CURC]
- CURC support legislation to permit physician-assisted suicide for consenting adults who are terminally ill.
- Because terminally ill individuals should have the right to choose how much suffering they wish to endure.
- Because the major benefactors of prolonging life for the terminally ill are pharmaceutical companies; and
- Because every individual deserves the dignity of choice.
http://unionretiree.ca/wp-content/uploads/convention-2011/resolutions-eng-2011.pdf
CURC is affiliated with the Canadian Labour Congress.
Resolution No. 28 sets up a false paradigm. It suggests that unless assisted suicide is legalized that people are forced to suffer, that the pharmaceutical companies are part of a conspiracy to maintain the current law that protects people from assisted suicide and that assisted suicide is a choice that will create dignity for people who are dying.1. It is possible to provide compassionate care for every Canadians.
2. The pharmaceutical industry has never been supporters of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition or any similar groups. In fact, good care does not necessarily require a pharmaceutical solution.
3. The current law protects vulnerable people from assisted suicide, especially people with disabilities and the dependent elderly.
4. The prevention of Elder Abuse is a government priority. Legalizing assisted suicide creates new avenues for elder abuse.
5. The politics of choice is an illusion. Legalizing assisted suicide does not give an individual any new rights but rather, it gives physicians the right to knowing cause the death of their patients by lethal prescription.
Assisted suicide does not need to be legalized in order to alleviate people's fear.
Instead, CURC should be demanding that all levels of government make the provision of excellent end-of-life care and the care of people with disabilities and chronic conditions, a priority.
2 comments:
I have noticed over the last few years the hardening of hearts towards the disabled the elderly and the suicidal,this battle will be a hard one to fight...so count me in. But know as I am sure you must the many people that say our medical system cannot bear the burden of long term medicated care. Killing is cheaper. I have long feared this having seen how European countries that accept assisted suicide have done. The documented deaths of people who did not want to die or were never asked is shocking and factual. The hearts of many who want this are good they are just wrong that is all. They are valuable you are valuable life is a precious gift not to be tossed away.
Very disappointed in the CURC. How about some resolutions that involve Aging with Dignity. Health Care treatment without discrimination due to age or disability.
And by the way, the practice of heavily sedating patients to the point of coma and then death is already occurring in the hospitals. Have unfortunately experienced this with a family member. And was powerless to stop the arsenal of opiates, etc that were being dispensed. So this resolution is not even necessary. Sad but true! Being a union member myself and having had to walk the picket line - to defend our rights, it sounds as though an information picket up in Port Elgin would be a good thing...weekend of October 12...the weather should still be fine..
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