Medical aid in dying ‘a catastrophic idea’
MONTREAL - After 30 years in palliative care medicine, Dr. Bernard Lapointe is adamant that regardless of what the law says he will never euthanize a patient. He is among thousands of law-abiding Quebec doctors who are facing some of the most difficult days of their professional careers as the province hurtles towards Dec. 10 and the legalization of euthanasia.
Palliative care home in Quebec to offer assisted suicide under new law
MONTREAL - Quebec's new end-of-life care law will go into effect Dec. 10, and at least one of its 31 palliative care facilities announced that it will be offering medically induced death, or assisted suicide.
Ambitious plan for Liberals as they get down to business
Ottawa - As the new Liberal government pushes ahead with an ambitious plan to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees by Christmas, it is also faces urgent challenges on three other issues important to the Church: climate change, indigenous rights and assisted suicide.
Let it be known: you don’t want to die
Death used to be a simple fact of life. As of the Supreme Court decision on assisted suicide last February, it is becoming a legal process.
Care, not killing
Most of Canada’s incoming parliamentarians were on the campaign trail in September and probably missed the inspiring address Pope Francis gave to U.S. Congress. If so, that’s a shame. His speech was made for America but a perfect fit for Canada.
More time needed to define assisted suicide, conference told
MONTREAL - As Canada moves toward legalized assisted suicide starting in February, Quebec will jump the gun and become the first province to permit doctors to euthanize patients beginning next month.
Health care must maintain ‘life-affirming ethos,’ faith leaders say
OTTAWA - Faith groups from across Canada are calling on Canada’s new government to focus on palliative care instead of euthanasia and assisted suicide.
Physician-assisted dying will become legal in California under a bill signed into law on Monday (Oct. 5) by Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown.
Canada’s bishops urge invoking notwithstanding clause on assisted suicide
OTTAWA - Canada’s Catholic bishops called unanimously Sept. 18 for the federal government to invoke the notwithstanding clause in response to the Supreme Court’s Feb. 6 Carter decision on euthanasia and assisted suicide.
Canada’s bishops need to challenge ‘cultural mindset’ on assisted suicide
CORNWALL, ONT. - Bishops need to speak out to emphasize that euthanasia and assisted suicide are “morally reprehensible,” Edmonton Archbishop Richard Smith told colleagues at the annual meeting of Canadian bishops.
British Parliament rejects controversial right-to-die bill
CANTERBURY, England - British parliamentarians on Friday (Sept. 11) soundly rejected a right-to-die bill that would have allowed people with less than six months to live to end their life legally.
Appalling silence
Ontario and several other provinces are following the federal government’s lead in assembling “expert” panels to research and make recommendations during a mad dash to transform Canada into a nation that permits doctors to kill selected patients or help these patients kill themselves.
Patrick Brown would do well sticking to the facts
Pundits and politicians agree: Ontario’s newly minted Progressive Conservative leader Patrick Brown is in a quagmire.
His problem goes something like this: social conservatives got him elected as leader but pro-life, anti-sex-ed voters aren’t nearly enough to bring the new guy victory in a general election. Sooner or later, they say, Brown must abandon his base.
OTTAWA - As the federal government prepares to begin consultations in order to draft euthanasia and assisted suicide legislation, the archbishop of Ottawa issued a pastoral letter that called on people to support a culture of life.
Tory MP seeks free vote on conscience matters
OTTAWA - With legalized euthanasia looming large over the House of Commons, a Tory backbencher has tabled a motion to affirm the right of free votes on matters of conscience.