Assisted suicide and euthanasia: political parties are fleeing their responsibilities

The election campaign is moving ahead and politicians are firing out their promises. Yet despite their life or death implication for all Canadians, the issues of assisted suicide and euthanasia remain taboo!  The next government will have as a first duty the enormous responsibility of passing a law to regulate assisted suicide in time for the Supreme Court’s February 6, 2016 deadline.

Moreover, the aggressive reaction of Quebec politicians against palliative care professionals who refuse to kill people under their care ...

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The College of Physicians promotes secrecy in its practice guideline for “medical aid in dying”

Montreal, September 23, 2015 – The Physicians’ Alliance against Euthanasia deplores certain provisions adopted by the Quebec College of Physicians in its “Practice guideline for medical aid in dying.”

In article 7.2 of the Guide, the College orders doctors to falsify the real cause of death on the death certificate that is required by the Public Health Act, for patients who die by “medical aid in dying”(MAD). This article clearly states that “the physician must write as an immediate cause of ...

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Palliative care centres refuse “Medical Aid in Dying”

Following the announcement by the Quebec College of Physicians of the September 10th publication of its first guide to euthanasia intended for doctors, the 29 palliative care centres in Quebec have announced that they will all avail themselves of the exemption provided in the law for their institutions, saying no to “medically assisted death”.

In their wake, the CHUM also stated that euthanasia will not be offered in its palliative care department. “Everyone was against it, it was unanimous. It ...

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Urgent: we must support our palliative care colleagues

Last week, Dr. Barrette raised the spectre of suspension for physician members of (palliative care) services not wishing to offer euthanasia in hospital. Mr. Ménard, architect of Bill 52, even pressed the government to cut subsidies to all palliative care centres in Quebec because they have all decided not to offer euthanasia within their walls, a decision clearly permitted by Bill 52 !

Who will bear the brunt of such abuses of power? Terminally ill patients, of course, whose doctor will be ...

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Medical Aid in Dying: the moment of truth has come

Montreal, September 3, 2015 – The announcement by the Collège des médecins of the imminent publication of the administrative protocol for “medical aid in dying”, a euphemism for euthanasia, led to a number of untimely and false statements from several authorities.

Throughout the debate that led to the adoption of Bill 52, An Act regarding end of life care, Living with Dignity and the Physicians’ Alliance against Euthanasia have always acted with great respect for  truth and dignity. Therefore, the two organizations, together representing over ...

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End of Life Care Debates at the CMA and CMPA Annual Meetings

End of life care was in the news last week. The Carter decision, and the question of whether a doctor should be obliged to participate in assisted suicide, were hotly debated at the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) and the Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) annual meetings in Halifax August 23-26.

At the CMA a strategic session entitled “Principles-based approach to assisted dying in Canada” was held on August 25. Given that in an online survey of the Association’s membership only 29 ...

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Euthanasia at the Heart of the Federal Election

While the federal election campaign is in full swing, the question of Euthanasia is beginning to make its way among major election issues in healthcare. Indeed, the next federal government will have the mandate to enact a law before February 6 in response to the Supreme Court’s judgment on “medical assistance in dying.”

To stimulate discussions, the Ontario Ministry of Health has announced the creation of a second Expert Advisory Group in addition to the Federal External Panel set ...

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Contact the Panel and share your point of view

The External Panel on Options for a Legislative Response to Carter v. Canada (euthanasia and assisted-suicide) has announced that it is suspending direct consultations during the election period and that it will resume direct consultations, as soon as practical, following the election on October 19th, 2015. The Panel has also announced its intention to continue a passive approach to consultation during the election period. This means that the web site (www.ep-ce.ca) will continue to receive submissions and the on-line consultation ...

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