The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition applauds Harold Albrecht MP (Kitchener-Conestoga) for successfully steering Bill C-300 through second reading in Canada's parliament. C-300 is a bill that intends to launch a national suicide prevention strategy or plan in Canada.Albrecht, who has been working for several years to create greater awareness of the need for the Canada's federal government to take a larger role in the prevention of suicide, successfully steered Bill C-300 through second reading with only 3 Members of Parliament opposing the bill on Wednesday February 15.
The difficulty with creating a national suicide prevention strategy is that it will require provincial governments to also support its direction. Albrecht has established a clear direction through Bill C-300 that will open the doors to the type of cooperation that will be necessary to create an effective national suicide prevention strategy.
Jack Hicks, a social science researcher in Iqaluit said to CBC News that the bill is a step in the right direction, especially since Canada is one of the only developed countries without a national suicide prevention strategy in place. Hicks stated:
“My hope is that everything this bill mentions will be done as quickly as possible, as effectively as possible, and Canada goes into catch-up mode,”
Albrecht is also the co-chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Palliative and Compassionate Care that released a report last November that outlined the necessary direction for effectively reducing suicide through national and provincial cooperation.Bill C-300 will now go to committee for further debate and then return to parliament for its final reading, sometime later this year.
Your Life Counts, a national suicide prevention group has been very involved with building the infrastructure for a national suicide prevention strategy.
You call yourself the 'euthanasia prevention coalition', yet you talk about 'suicide'. Two completely different topics. We should of course try to prevent people from trying to commit suicide. People who are trying to do this are mentally instable, not thinking clear.
ReplyDeletePeople who request euthanasia, do this because they truly believe this is best. They do so, consious and with explicit, repeated request.
Will the 'moderator' (also blog author!) post this?
Dear Carlo:
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, you are dreaming if you think that all people request euthanasia because they truly think it is best. All the studies show that at least 25% of euthanasia deaths are related to depression/mental issues.
Second, we support Bill C-300 because its purpose is to improve suicide prevention throughout Canada. This is a good thing.
By the way, I was on vacation that is why it took awhile to post your comment.