By John-Henry Westen
SHERBROOKE, Quebec, October 19, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Andre Bergeron was sentenced to three years’ of probation and no jail time for an attempted euthanasia on his wife which he failed to complete. In July 2005 Bergeron attempted to asphyxiate his wife, who suffered from Friedreich’s Ataxia (a degenerative disorder), with a plastic bag. He called 911 prior to her death, but she died three days later in hospital.
According to the CBC, Quebec court Judge Danielle Côté said at the sentencing hearing that it was clear that Bergeron did what he did out of love and not aggression, and given the circumstances, he should not serve any prison time. The activist judge also advocated for a revisiting of Canada’s assisted suicide laws in his statements.
Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition condemned the ruling.“This decision devalues the lives of every Canadian with a disability,” Schadenberg told LifeSiteNews.com.“If attempting to murder someone with a disability is seen as an act of compassion then all lives of vulnerable Canadians are at risk.”