Saturday, June 7, 2014

Canada's federal government opposes Québec euthanasia law.

By Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition


On June 5, the Québec National Assembly passed euthanasia Bill 52 into law.


The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC) is convinced that euthanasia Bill 52 is imprecise, open to abuse and unconstitutional. EPC is working with groups in Québec to launch a court case to declare Bill 52 as unconstitutional.

The Toronto Sun reported that Canada's federal Justice Minister opposes Québec's euthanasia law that was passed on June 5. The article also stated that a court challenge to the euthanasia law will be launched soon.

The Toronto Sun reported that federal Justice Ministry released the following statement concerning Bill 52:

"It is our government's position that the Criminal Code provisions prohibiting assisted suicide and euthanasia are in place to protect all persons, including those who are most vulnerable in our society," Paloma Aguilar said. "Furthermore, in April 2010, a large majority of parliamentarians voted not to change these laws, which is an expression of democratic will on this topic."
Michael Racicot, a lawyer with the group Vivre dans la Dignité - Living with Dignity told the Sun that:
"I will not say when we will go to court, but we are going to go to court,"
Racicot also told the Sun that:
euthanasia violates the constitutional right to life, liberty and security of the person.
Euthanasia Bill 52 gives Québec doctors the right, in law, to lethally inject people who have asked for euthanasia and who are living with physical or psychological suffering.

Links to related articles:
Opposing euthanasia: Letter writing campaign.

4 comments:

  1. So, if someone is dying if brain cancer, in terrible pain and they want to end their lives you would tell them "No, because..."?

    Your motivation in interfering with other people's personal medical decisions is not clear, can you explain?

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  2. The motivation of the government is clear:
    1. Pain and symptom management is possible.
    2. The law is designed to protect vulnerable people from having death imposed upon them or pressure to end life.

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  3. Gruntbuggle - if they are in terrible pain they can end their own lives if they really want to. Why should they ask someone else to murder them?

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  4. Gruntbuggle, as well, you are making big assumptions about pain. I was present at the death of my first husband from organ failure caused by years of emphysema. He merely slipped into a coma, and yes, he had been sick for years but he never quit smoking. My second husband died from pancreatic cancer and the morphine held until the very end. Both deaths were very peaceful. I was not present for my sister's death, but my mother reported that it was peaceful and afterwards we all ate a potato salad my sister had made just 3 days before she died.

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