News

Thursday March 20, 2003


New Information Exposes Dying with Dignity’s Real Goals

Ontario Trillium Foundation grant to Dying with Dignity

TORONTO, March 20 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Canada’s Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC)issued a release yesterday with evidence that Dying with Dignity does in fact strongly advocate illegal assisted suicide measures for vulnerable individuals.

Following is the full text of the EPC release:

Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
Box 25033 London ON N6C 6A8
Call: 1-877-439-3348 E-Mail: [email protected]

March 19, 2003

Controversy has been growing following the discovery by the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC), of a $177,800 grant by the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), to Dying with Dignity (DWD). DWD, Canada’s largest organization promoting Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide, received a three year grant for the purpose of establishing a counselling program for terminally-ill people. The EPC has asked, “Would an organization that exists to promote and encourage euthanasia and assisted suicide, be tempted to counsel suicide methods to its terminally ill clients?”

On February 5, 2003 EPC called for an independent inquiry by the Ontario Ministry of Culture into the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s approval of a grant for $177,800 over three years to Dying with Dignity (DWD)for its “pilot counseling program in Toronto providing information, support and assistance to terminally ill individuals.” (Trillium Foundation grants list 2000 – 2001) At the time we had no information concerning the proposed counselling program, we simply were suspicious of their intentions considering the purpose of their organization.

EPC has done extensive background research, and has uncovered information that seems to indicate that, despite DWD’s strong denials, that their initial suspicions are well founded. In the January 2000 issue of the Dying with Dignity newsletter (vol. 17, No.1, p.2.), then executive director, Cynthia St. John, declared that “There is no doubt that this service is needed. The weekly calls to our office from individuals wanting a dignified death on their own terms are steady. …we will enhance our services by offering this much needed counselling program.”

In the May 2000 DWD newsletter (Vol. 17, no.2, p.4), it is stated: “To collect information for the Counselling and Patient Advocate program, Cynthia St. John, executive director, attended the Hemlock Society of the U.S.A.’s Caring Friends Training Program. The Caring Friends Program is a model for Dying with Dignity’s Counselling & Patient Advocate Program. Their program offers information, resources and support to individuals seeking self-deliverance. Our program will cover the issues of self-deliverance, as well as other needs identified by our members”

“Self-deliverance” is a euphemism for suicide, invented by Derek Humphrey the founder of the Hemlock society. In the Fall 2002 DWD Newsletter (Vol. 19, No. 2, p.7.), a glossary of terms concerning end-of-life issues defines “Self deliverance” as: A Person irreversibly ill who makes a rational decision to end his or her own life. This term is preferred by those who consider it mistaken to equate this type of action with suicide”

It is important to note, that however DWD may like to view “Self deliverance,” Canadian law views it as suicide. To aid, abet or counsel suicide is contrary to section 241 of the Canadian Criminal Code; which states unequivocally that: “Everyone who (a) counsels a person to commit suicide, or (b) aids or abets a person to commit suicide whether suicide ensues or not, is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years.”

It is interesting to scrutinize the Caring Friends Program of the Hemlock Society, which has trained DWD personnel, and which Cynthia St. John admits provides a model for the DWD counselling program.

The World Right to Die Newsletter (No. 35 December 1999, p.4), a publication of the World Federation of Right to Die Societies, of which DWD is a member states: “The first year of operation of the ‘Caring Friends’ program of the Hemlock Society has been a significant success. Scores of Hemlock members in terminal conditions have been counseled about self-deliverance and assisted death, with some dozen dying with the dignity and control which they desired. The Hemlock national membership was informed at the end of 1998 that it is now Hemlock policy that no member should have to die alone and that any who chose to hasten dying, when suffering an incurable illness, would have the availability of helpful advice to make sure no attempts were botched ”

The World Right to Die Newsletter (No.38 May 2001, p.10), reports further that in the face of legislative failures to legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide: “Circumventing physicians, Hemlock started the Caring Friends Program in 1998, to work with members who suffer from a hopeless physical condition and are considering a hastened death. New technologies are used that do not require physician-prescribed medication. The goals are to make sure all alternatives have been considered that — if a hastened death is chosen — [it] is gentle, quick and certain and not botched, and that no Hemlock member has to die alone. Trained volunteers provide information and support to those members for whom the program is appropriate.”

In a front page article in the DWD newsletter Spring/Summer 2001 (Vol. 18, No. 1 p.1) on the OTF grant “DWD’s Counselling Program Gets Financial Boost” it states: “The program model will be similar to the Caring Friends Program that is run by the Hemlock Society of the USA — a program that offers personal support and information to irreversibly ill individuals who are considering a hastened death. DWD’s program will cover questions of self-deliverance, as well as other needs identified by program participants.” St. John continues: “Over the last three years, DWD’s Counselling Committee has worked very hard to re-vitalize the Counselling program ¾ a program identified by many DWD members as critical to the organization. In addition we have had the benefit of attending the Hemlock Society of the USA’s Caring Friends Training Program and of gleaning much knowledge and information from a similar program already in existence”

The above quotes should raise serious questions about the suitability of the OTF grant. Ms. Pashley of the OTF told the Ottawa Citizen that there are stringent criteria to receive grants. She went on to state that “Before we make any grant we research the organization extensively.”(Ottawa Citizen Feb. 3, 2003 p. A7) that research, at least in this case, did not seem to involve reading the organization’s recent newsletters.

In a response to a EPC supporter the OTF stated: “The counselling activities OTF is funding do not include counselling to commit suicide, but rather a range of assistance to terminally ill individuals regarding care options, living wills, pain management, and relationships with their families and friends. OTF staff are investigating the allegations, and will also ensure that OTF funds have been used as approved Foundation.”

If the “extensive research” the OTF did in this case is their common practice, we contend that they cannot be depended upon to remedy the scandal.

The EPC renews its demand that the Ontario Ministry of Culture conduct an impartial, and independent investigation of the DWD grant. We further demand that the funds thus allocated be recovered and reallocated to one of the many deserving charities. With charitable dollars so scarce there must be plenty of uses for $177,800, uses better then an in house, members only counselling program, that appears from DWD documents will counsel terminally ill clients as to how to achieve “self deliverance/suicide.”


SHARE THIS STORY: E-mail Print Newsvine Digg Reddit Del.icio.us Facebook


0 Comments

    Loading...