Opinion
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April 11, 2017 (AlexSchadenberg) — The Ontario Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs is scheduled to do its clause-by-clause consideration of euthanasia bill Bill 84, “An Act to amend various Acts with respect to medical assistance in dying” today.

Yesterday, a group of doctors held a press conference urging the Ontario government to protect conscience rights for medical professionals by amending Bill 84. CHCH news reported:

Doctors speaking out say they shouldn’t be forced to refer their patients to another doctor who is willing to help them die if they disagree with the practice. 

“None of us ever envisioned whether we took our hippocratic oath 40 years ago or 4 years ago that we would one day be legislated to cooperate in the death of our patients.”

Doctors who oppose killing patients by lethal injection will also oppose sending their patients to a doctor who will kill their patients. An “effective referral” to a doctor who will kill is similar to killing the patient yourself.

Since Ontario has a Liberal majority government and since the Ontario Liberal government policies have made them unpopular, it is time that the Liberal caucus wake up and buck the unpopular policies of the own government. Protecting conscience rights for medical professionals is a good place to start.

Reprinted with permission from Euthanasia Prevention Coalition.