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A man who was found guilty of helping his mother kill herself in the Netherlands has just been cleared of any criminal responsibility. This shows a growing openness towards assisted suicide, and is one more step towards the relaxation of rules governing euthanasia and assisted suicide.

In 2008, Mr. Heringa provided his mother with enough pills for a fatal overdose. He was found guilty of that crime in 2013. However, the court didn’t punish him, other than finding him guilty. ...

One of the risks related to the legalisation of euthanasia and assisted suicide is that prognosis aren’t always correct. While modern medicine is able to relieve pain, it isn’t always possible to predict the exact course of an illness or the outcome of an accident.

We’ve recently learned of a man who survived a serious motorcycle accident, and spent several weeks in a coma afterwards. His physicians were saying there was little hope, and according to the article, recommended she ...

Bernard Drainville wants Quebec to adopt “presumed consent” for organ donation. At first glance, this seems a reasonable policy to increase the number of organs available for people in need. But this policy is fraught with risks. I am not against organ donation, far from it! I am myself an organ donor and two members of my immediate family have benefited from organ donation. This is an issue that I know well.

However, when we think of organ donation with ...

Some media report that Israel just allowed euthanasia for the first time. It is not the case. The situation in question isn’t a case of euthanasia, but one of withdrawal of treatment. There is a lot of confusion on this topic, and many people confuse euthanasia with withdrawal of treatment (including 22% of people in Quebec).

In this recent Israeli case, the court allowed the disconnection of life support machines keeping a man alive. There is a significant difference ...

A few months after the adoption of an Act respecting end-of-life care (previously Bill 52), Minister Gaétan Barrette wants to reform health and social services networks. But this reform is dangerous for the public.

Mr. Ménard, a well-known lawyer for the rights of patients, says in Le Devoir that “it goes much further than a simple reform of the structure. It goes backwards in terms of transparency, network independence and accountability, and the population doesn’t realise what is happening”. He ...

Keeping its promise, the Couillard government is starting to cut services. The Agence de la santé et des services sociaux of Montreal will chop $87 million in mental health and in care for the elderly, starting this October. Among other cuts, hundreds of people with intellectual disabilities will lose the meagre compensation they receive.

We recently heard that a disabled man committed suicide rather than having to leave his apartment. A journalist commented that “he decided to end his ...

We mourn the death of Yvan Tremblay, a man with disabilities who committed suicide rather than be forced out of his apartment on September 14. Isabelle Maréchal describes the situation well: “He decided to end his life because he could no longer deal with an inhuman system.”

For 10 years, he lived in adapted housing. The managers of the building where he was staying expelled him because of new safety regulations imposed by the government. Apparently, he could not stay ...

A recent article in The Gazette explains how Homecare in Quebec is in critical condition. The story describes the situation for people receiving homecare, and how patients are sent home from hospitals and rehab centres earlier than in the past, due to a shift in policy. Many people are unable to access all the services they need due to costs. This could be an incentive for people to choose euthanasia.

According to the article, Quebec will now focus on homecare. ...

An opinion piece in yesterday’s National Post argues against the Canadian federal government’s position against physician assisted suicide. The author makes many dubious claims, but there is one that clamours to be addressed. He says that 17 years of legal assisted suicide in Oregon disproves the slippery slope argument. He explains how there is no data showing abuse. His statements are not accurate.

No Proper Data

The Oregon system has not been designed to show problems. In an excellent ...

This morning, La Presse tells us how some CHSLD refuse that their residents film what is happening there. A few months ago, Le Soleil was telling us that our elders are receiving bad treatment in CHSLD. Irene Ogrizek tells us how her mother was repeatedly over-medicamented in a CHSLD. If “medical aid in dying is legalised, these CHSLD will not only have the right, but the duty to conduct it. This is a recipe to ensure abuse.

Think ...