Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
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| Elizabeth Wettlauffer arrested. |
As shocking as it is that Elizabeth Wettlaufer, 49, of Woodstock; has been charged with 8 counts of first degree murder in what is being defined as possibly the worst case of a seriel killer in Canadian history, we need to demand that an in-depth investigation be done into every care home in Canada, especially now that euthanasia and assisted suicide are now legal.
We should mourn the deaths of James Silcox (84), Maurice (Moe) Granat (84), Helen Matheson (95), Gladys Millard (87), Mary Zurawinski (96), Helen Young (90). Maureen Pickering (79) of Woodstock Ontario and Arpad Horvath (75) who was a resident at Meadow Park nursing home in London, but we must also recognize that these are a group of many deaths caused by people who falsely consider themselves angels of mercy in our medical system.
As Executive Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, I have received calls from people who are convinced that their loved may have been prematurely killed in a hospital or nursing home. These cases are very frustrating because it is nearly impossible to prove that such an act has occurred and the financial and personal costs associated with gaining justice is prohibitive.
Consider Joy Wawrzyniak who has been fighting for more than 6 years to gain some justice in the death of her father, Douglas DuGuerre. What about the case of Annie Farlow who died under suspicious circumstances at 80 days of age? Should we shrug off Annie's death because she was born with significant disabilities?
Cases of doctors or a nurse intentionally causing the death of a patient are not uncommon.
Several cases have been reported in the media in the past such as the death of David Gray, in which the doctor received a nine month suspended sentence for negligence causing death.
Several medical professionals who killed their patients, include: Dr. Harold Shipman, Charles Cullen, Dr Virginia Soares de Souza, Aino Nykopp-Koski and Dr. Michael Swango.
A recent NEJM study on the practice of euthanasia in the Flanders region of Belgium found that 1.7% of all deaths (more than 1000 deaths) were hastened without explicit request in 2013. As stated in the Euthanasia Deception documentary.
The Lancet study analyzing the Netherlands euthanasia experience found that there were 310 hastened deaths without explicit consent in 2010 in the Netherlands.
The Euthanasia Deception documentary shared the story of Hendrik Reitsma who was robbed of 3 years of life with his Granddad in the Netherlands.
When a nation legalizes euthanasia, it gives medical professionals, who were already willing to kill their patients the legal right to proceed.
Unless every Canadian Province does an in-depth research study into the deaths at care institutions, we will never know how many intentional killings occur yearly in our country.
From radio reports, CARP is mourning these deaths and labelling them as elder abuse. They do not seem to have made any connection between legalized (or otherwise) euthanasia/assisted suicide and these deaths. Another example of how there is no safeguard in the legislation for vulnerable people, of any age, and how our media-influenced attitudes concerning the value of a person's life are constantly being eroded.
ReplyDeletePeople should not be shocked. Yes, we should grieve with the families and of the staff in these facilities who cared for these apparent victims. This news is devastating, but it is not shocking. Since the Latimer case back in the 90's, it has been clear that the Christian cultural consensus that once prevailed in Canada about the sanctity of life is gone. It is a sad reflection on the state of our culture, but surely this is only the first case that will surface.
ReplyDeleteThe call for an investigation into every nursing home/ltc facility is, no doubt, well intentioned, but unworkable. As well, neither the authorities who govern us, nor the bulk of the public are interested in the truth. They do not want their personal peace and affluence disturbed. Those of us who are pro-life best focus our time and energy on supporting those long-term organizations that are steadfastly opposed to PAS.
Julie Ali said...
ReplyDeleteLegal premature termination does on all the time in Canada with the use of unilateral do not resuscitate orders (DNR). This poor state of affairs has recently been made public in BC where a man died because his doctor decided there was no point resuscitating him.
http://www.theprovince.com/news/local+news/woman+says+died+after+resuscitation+order+didn+approve/12287847/story.html
In this case, the dad died. In my sister's case, despite her DNR order --she lived. But no matter the outcome it is my opinion that the unjust society model is followed in the system. We have chatter on the surface telling us that there is acceptance, inclusion and full human rights for our disabled family members but the reality is quite different.
We have a different set of values that apply to the disabled and elderly in Canada. We have their human rights summarily dismissed because government can do whatever they want to do and the system in Alberta allows for bureaucratically and politically expedient decisions all the way to the bank.
It’s ridiculous and all families can do is go public. Families can also write on blogs for years and use social media to indicate that the government fails our most vulnerable citizens who -if they don’t have strong advocates--- will be legally disposed of.
The end result of all this legislative failure by government is that you have a case like my handicapped sister who has a personal directive indicating full resuscitation and she goes through years of being classified as "Do not resuscitate", "Do not intubate" and "No ICU" by doctors at the Grey Nuns Hospital in Edmonton. If my sister did not have advocates she would be dead today.
In the case of the victims at this nursing home in Ontario residents were disposed of by the nurse. Why is she getting charged for doing what the doctors do LEGALLY at the hospitals with their DNR orders? Well I guess she did not follow the proper protocol for premature termination that requires that you do not bring legal consequences on the care organization by simply taking matters into your own hands.
In this case, she used medications for the murders. This reasons the question of why did this go on for so long since medications have to be followed closely by these facilities? Seems like there is a failure in oversight by the government of Ontario that needs further investigation by an independent inquiry. If drugs were used to kill these residents why was there no detection of this by the business running this facility? Medications must be reconciled and pharmacies must account for medication use. What happened in this case? Why did the failures to account for medication use not get detected by quality control programs at the facility and by external audits by the government of Ontario? We need answers and we should get them.