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Canadian Hospice Association Slammed for Abandoning Opposition to Euthanasia

CHPCA has changed its language to preferred language of Right to Die lobby

By Hilary White

OTTAWA, January 9, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – While stopping just short of endorsing physician-assisted suicide (PAS) or euthanasia, the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) has issued an ostensibly neutral draft statement that proposes to withdraw its previous specific opposition to the practice. Euthanasia opponents, however, have denounced the document saying the move is tantamount to abandoning dying and vulnerable patients “to their fears and depression”.

The draft statement on “physician assisted dying” says that while the organization “does not view euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide as a part of quality end of life care,” the group does not condemn the “choice” of euthanasia or PAS.

The draft statement, approved by the CHPCA Board of Directors on November 22, 2006, goes on to say in language clearly influenced by the right-to-die lobby’s rhetoric, “[A] small number of Canadians may still choose to have control over their own death. As hospice palliative care practitioners, we will respect their right to choose and will not abandon them.”

“We will continue to provide the same compassionate care to these individuals and their families, but we also have a choice not to participate or to be expected to assist in any efforts that intentionally hasten death.”

Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director of Canada’s Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, expressed his dismay at the direction indicated by the new document. He pointed to the draft document’s carefully worded guidelines for discussion saying, “There is no way to indicate whether the CHPCA supports or opposes euthanasia and assisted suicide.” This means, he says, that the CHPCA appears to have shifted from opposition to a neutral position.

Schadenberg says the title of the CHPCA’s policy alert, “Physician Assisted Dying (PAD) Issues Document,” is in line with the call from the world’s euthanasia lobbyists at their recent meeting in Toronto, to change the language of the debate to make euthanasia and PAS more palatable to the public.

“The CHPCA has changed its language to the preferred language of the Right to Die lobby,” Schadenberg warned.

Schadenberg said that, like the “right to choose” jargon, the proposal that palliative care should “respect” the “right to choose” euthanasia effectively abandons patients.

“You are abandoning them to their fears, to their depression, to their family pressures, and to their existential questioning, rather than affirming them as a valued member of society,” Schadenberg charges.

“This statement is a direct threat to our most vulnerable members of society, who even question the value and dignity of their own life.”

The CHPCA said it would “revisit” this proposal in two years and is asking for input from its members to develop an official position statement. A discussion that may result in the organization formally dropping opposition to euthanasia for terminally ill patients.

The group is highly influential in the legislative process and in a policy alert offers to make presentations to Parliamentary and Senate committees should another bill proposing to legalize euthanasia or PAS be brought forward.

Read the CHPCA draft document (Adobe required):
http://www.chpca.net/public_policy_advocacy/PAD_Issues/PAD_Issues_Paper_Nov_22_2...

Read related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
UK Doctors Move From Neutral to Rejecting Assisted Suicide
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/jun/06062909.html

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