Executive Director - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
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| Saint Martha's Hospital in Antigonish |
Saint Martha's Hospital is known for excellence in palliative care.
Downie believes that access to Medical Assistance in Dying (euthanasia) transends Catholic Healthcare and the agreement that St Martha's Hospital have with the provincial government. Downie argues in an article that was published in The Chronicle Herald on December 17 that:
the current approach allowing forced transfers violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act.Downie has for years sold herself as a "neutral" academic, but for those who are involved in the issue of euthanasia she is recognized as a long-time euthanasia activist.
Fortunately, there are at least three solutions. First, the Sisters Antigonish could agree to a compromise policy that would permit St. Martha’s to refuse to allow assessment or provision of MAiD within its walls (by non-objecting providers from outside the hospital), but only if the patient can be transferred to another location without undue harm or delay as determined by the Nova Scotia MAiD program.
Second, if the Sisters will not agree to this compromise, the Nova Scotia government could legislate it. Institutions that receive provincial funding would then be required to allow the assessment and provision of MAiD on their premises when the patient cannot be transferred to another location without undue harm or delay.
Third, alternatively, the NSHA could simply not renew the 1996 agreement. Going this route, the NSHA could cease to be bound by it as early as Sept. 28, 2019. Then MAiD assessment and provision would be available without compromise within what would presumably be a renamed secular hospital.
Downie has had several successes, such as convincing the Ontario College of Physicians to accept a policy that disregards the conscience rights of Ontario physicians, she was instrumental in the writing of the Carter decision by Justice Smith and she had her hand in the Supreme Court of Canada decision.
If you read the articles about Downie you will notice that promoting euthanasia has been her life-long work.
- Ontario government euthanasia report seeks to protect physicians but not patients.
- More quasi academic reports from Jocelyn Downie.
- Royal Society of Canada one-sided euthanasia report.
It is Downie's goal to use St. Martha's Hospital as a stepping stone to forcing all Catholic Healthcare institutions in Canada to permit euthanasia on their premises.
2 comments:
How many sisters are actively involved in the running of this hospital now? if they are sufficient in number, they could refuse and threaten to pull out of the hospital, that might leave it unable to function. It is time we stood up to things in Canada, rather than falling under to the pressure. Is there a way we can express our support for the sisters? perhaps if there were thousands of signatures on a petition, they might realise they do have a groundswell of support out there, and they could take a stand. I imagine they don't feel they have the power to do that in this case.
Whatever is held in secret will be open to the Light. Secrecy on divulging one's promotion of a controversial subject, such as euthanasia, and pretending neutrality is what Christ Himself abhorred. He read the hearts of the Pharisees and could state openly what they were thinking--often hidden from others under the guise of "trick questions" and lame morality.
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