Wednesday May 26, 2010
Quebec Debate on Euthanasia Opens to General Public
By Patrick B. Craine
QUEBEC CITY, Quebec, May 26, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The public end-of-life debate that the Quebec government launched in December is now being opened to the general public.
The Quebec National Assembly’s special commission on “dying with dignity” released a consultation document at a press conference yesterday after having heard from legal, medical, ethical, and philosophical experts in February and March. They will be travelling to eleven major cities in the province to consult with interested parties, and have set up an online questionnaire.
Euthanasia and assisted suicide are prohibited under Canada’s Criminal Code, which is under federal jurisdiction. The law was confirmed last month when the House of Commons overwhelmingly rejected Bill C-384 in a vote of 228 to 59.
The elected officials heading up the special commission have indicated, however, that they do not see their work being impeded by the federal law.
“All options are on the table,” said Geoffrey Kelley, the chairman of the commission and a Liberal member, according to Le Devoir. “At this point, it’s really public opinion that interests us.”
When asked if the consultations could lead to legislative change, Kelley stated, “Yes, everything is possible,” noting that they intended to go along “with the opinion and mood of Quebecers.”
Véronique Hivon, a member with the opposition Parti Quebecois and vice-chair of the commission, said that the end of life is not just a legal issue, but also relates to health and dignity. And, Kelley added, these are areas in which Quebec has jurisdiction.
Hivon even said that there is room for Quebec to enter into the legal sphere, because it is up to the provinces to enforce the criminal law. She noted as an example the approach of British Columbia following the assisted suicide of Sue Rodriguez in 1994, when the province decided that they would only apply the Criminal Code in strict circumstances.
Alex Schadenberg, executive director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, insisted on the need for clarity regarding euthanasia and assisted suicide.
“Many Canadians think that ‘Pulling the Plug’ is euthanasia,” he wrote in an e-mail Wednesday. “Euthanasia really is an action or omission that directly and intentionally causes the death of a person. It is not withholding or withdrawing medical treatment.”
He emphasized that leaders in the disability community oppose euthanasia and assisted suicide “because of social attitudes and pressures that may threaten their lives.” Also, given the growing instances of elder abuse in Canada, he noted that “legalizing euthanasia may result in the ultimate elder abuse, death.”
The commission will be meeting with the public beginning in August, and will travel to the following cities: Baie-Comeau, Gaspé, Gatineau, Montréal, Québec, Rimouski, Rouyn-Noranda, Saguenay, Saint-Jérôme, Sherbrooke and Trois-Rivières.
Parties who wish to address the commission must file their briefs by July 16. There is also an online questionnaire posted to assnat.qc.ca.