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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 life because he could no longer handle an inhuman system.”

Little by little, the government eliminates options for people with disabilities and the elderly. The system, already seen as “inhuman”, will become even harder to endure for these vulnerable groups.

While cutting services, the government is moving forward with the implementation of the Act respecting end-of-life care. Plans are underway to institute “medical aid in dying” in Quebec by December 2015. Recent figures from the Netherlands confirm the incremental extension of the scope of euthanasia laws. Safeguards in the Quebec law will not hold for long, especially if people feel coerced to die, having fewer and fewer options for life.

The majority of people who left comments on the article announcing the cuts for people with intellectual disabilities are shocked.

• Mr. Therrien said: “In these times, we must invest in mental health, not cut.”
• Ms. Irenée-Pascale said: “The Couillard Government – insensitive and heartless for the helpless.”
• Mr. Verret said: “That must be what he meant when they talked about “real business” – cuts in aid to the poor. This government is a national disgrace. “
• Mr. Leduc said: “$4.30 per day for a bit of dignity, it’s too expensive to pay for this government, “champion” of the economy. Simply disgusting. “
• Mr Jacques said: “Aberrant !!! “

The commentators are angry that the government would harm defenseless people. Hopefully our citizens will also see the danger to these same defenseless people from “medical aid in dying”. Because everything is connected, and the risk is real.