076.canada legalizes euthanasia high court passes assisted suicide law

The HillCanada Legalizes Euthanasia, As High Court

Passes Assisted Suicide LawFeb 9, 2015 11:19 AM By Dana Dovey

@danadovey

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Patients throughout Canada will soon be able to plan a doctor-assisted suicide ifthey wish. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

Conserving a human life is important, yet so is protecting free will, and onFriday Canada ruled that the latter outweighed the former. In a unanimousvote, the Supreme Court of Canada, the countrys highest court, struckdown a ban for doctor-assisted suicide, making the practice fully availableto all mentally competent Canadian patients with terminal illnesses.

Canadas latest decision on physician-assisted suicide, also known aseuthanasia, came in response to cases brought by the families of twoBritish Columbian women, Gloria Taylor and Kay Cater The Daily Recordreported. Taylor was suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, betterknown as Lou Gehrigs disease, and Carter had a degenerative spinal cordcondition. Both women died prior to the recent ruling. Taylor died to aninfection not long after her appeal for the right to death was rejected in2012. After Carters appeal was rejected, she travelled to Switzerland toundergo a legal physician-assisted suicide. Although the women have sincepassed, their impacts on Canadian legislature live on, and their influenceon the decision is clear to see. As reported by The Record, the court statedthat by leaving people like Ms. Taylor to endure intolerable suffering, itimpinges on their security of person.

What The Ruling MeansAlthough the new ruling states that all patients in Canada are entitled to aphysician-assisted suicide, their condition must meet certain criteria for

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them to eligible. For example, the law states that patients must be of adultage and must be assessed by a doctor to be mentally competent and capableof giving consent, Common Dreams reported. They must also be sufferingfrom a condition which is considered to be either physically orpsychologically intolerable. Also, if a physician does not want to assist inthe suicide, they will not be forced to comply.

International Stance On EuthanasiaIt has been 13 years since the Netherlands became the first country tolegalize euthanasia. In that time, the practice has become legal in Belgium,Luxembourg, Switzerland, and in five U.S. states (Washington, Oregon,Vermont, Montana, and New Mexico). In France, doctors are only permittedto "limit or stop any treatment that is not useful, is disproportionate or hasno other object than to artificially prolong life" and to use pain-killingdrugs that might "as a side effect, shorten life," The Guardian reported. InGermany, doctors are able to provide patients with the necessary drugs fora medicinal suicide, but are not permitted to take any action in the actualsuicide, such as guiding the patients or supporting their hand.

In 2013, the case of Brittany Maynard brought the concept of death withdignity to the national spotlight in the United States. Maynard sought tochallenge the publics perception of euthanasia. She refused to call thepractice an assisted suicide because, as she put it, "I'm not killing myself.Cancer is killing me. I am choosing to go in a way that is less suffering andless pain," NBC News reported. Maynard travelled from her home inCalifornia to Oregon to undergo a legal assisted suicide and died Nov. 1,2014.

Prior to last weeks ruling, assisted suicide was illegal in Canada andpunishable by up to 14 years in prison. The current law will not go into

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punishable by up to 14 years in prison. The current law will not go intoeffect for 12 months in order to give sufficient time to draft new laws.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly wrote that thehighest court in Canada was the Standard Council. It has now been revisedto read the Supreme Court.

Dana DoveyDana Dovey is a reporter for Medical Daily and iscurrently based on the exotic Island of Long. read more

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170 comments

Rochelle Williams Edmonton, AlbertaOn December 13, 2014 my Mother committed suicide because doctor assisted suicide was not an option. with dignity with her family present but instead she died alone. Legalizing doctor assisted suicide will ensure other families will not have to go through whatwe did. This is so important and a milestone for Canada and those suffering with terminal illness.Reply Like April 9 at 6:46am

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Susan SmalleyI am so very sorry for what your beloved Mother endured. How awful for her and for all who loved her. to you all.Reply Like April 9 at 3:08pm24

Monic NormandSo sorry for your loss.I wish she would of had the choice to be assisted.may she rest in peace.prayers and strength to u and familyReply Like April 10 at 7:04am9

Veronica Penfold Essex District High SchoolI can't even think of anything meaningful to say to you Rochelle, other than it breaks my heart to heat this. Nobody should have to suffer like that.Reply Like April 11 at 6:59am3

Mandy Smith Howard Works at PSWDon't bring religion into this. If we followed everyone's religion we would not be able to have blood transfusions or other life saving procedures. Plus if yourreligion does not allow it... Don't choose it!!!Reply Like April 9 at 7:51am61

Louis Sippley Guitarist/Backing Vocals at DISCHORDCan't emphasis enough how strongly I agree with you Mandy.Reply Like April 9 at 10:54am21

Steve Cherry Top CommenterAgree 100%. It is a personal decision outside of any religious" morality". A decision for one's life that Reply Like April 10 at 6:42pm7

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Not everyone religion is against blood transfusions so please be informed be for u speak:)Reply Like April 10 at 8:59pm2

Donna Deforge Mike Gaudin Cambrian CollegeI prefer the term dying with dignity. I myself have cancer and am a huge supporter to dying with dignity...Reply Like April 8 at 6:58pm

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Francois Arseneau Top Commenter Fredericton, New Brunswickif you have cancer, think about living and get yourself some Cannabis oil and bitter apricot seeds, live long and prosper.Reply Like April 10 at 4:44am24

Monic NormandI agreeReply Like April 10 at 7:01am1

Kevin Hinds Trent UniversityFrancois Arseneau the fuck is that gonna do???Reply Like April 10 at 8:49am6

Shay Megginson Top Commenterits about time. we euthanize our pets if they are suffering and have no hope of getting better... i see no valid reason to make humans suffer . if they are ofsound mind and can make their wishes known, its wrong to say no you need to suffer for god knows how long and live in agony because you dont deservethe same compassion or dignity of life that our pets do. ( which is basically what someone is saying when they say euthanasia for humans is wrong ). i knowmany religious groups are against it but really religion shouldnt have any part in it. i dont care how religious someone is... no amount of prayer is ever goingto stop someones suffering when they get to that point.Reply Like April 8 at 10:10am32

Jr Lopez Newmarket, OntarioWhy are you so cynical? The difference between pets and humans is that they are pets and we are humans. PERIOD. human life is precious andwhen the time comes the time comes WE have no power over death except for Jesus ChristReply Like April 9 at 7:43am16

Barbara TowerJr Lopez This is a matter of opinion. Have you watched someone you love beyond words die suffering from cancer?Reply Like April 9 at 8:40am41

Stephaniee Vivid Forest Young Sales Associate at Green Earth Stores


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Jr Lopez, It is your kind of thinking that brings our world down. May I ask Why are YOU so cynical ? The difference between pets and humans is NOTHING. Weare all living breathing creatures of earth. We deserve choices. This is a choice for people who are suffering in unimaginable pain. Who the hell are you to decide whether this person shoulddie in pain or die with dignity?Reply Like April 9 at 10:01am49

Elaine MacDonald Cashier at SobeysWe're not God...we can not make that choice ...only God can say when we leave this world..remember 'Thou shall not kill'...If I kill someone else or myself it isa life taken..Godgave us life and every breath we take is because He allowes it ..we are made in His image..we don't have the rigt to end itReply Like April 9 at 6:25am

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Greg Hatherly Any at Here and ThereNot everybody believes in the myth of God, my life my choice, period!!!!Reply Like April 9 at 11:20am72

Frank van Boxtel Top Commenter Sales Associate in one, and..well...artistThat's your prerogative. You or your god should not get to decide what others do about their lives.Reply Like April 9 at 12:19pm22

Sarah Weese Registered Nurse at BMHCSame God that allows u to repent sins and still to to heaven? I imagine the person ending their life with dignity will have other "sins" they didn'trepent.... I'm sure the suffering terminal people have is Hell enuff.....Reply Like April 9 at 2:37pm2

Darlene Roberts J.R. Smallwood CollegiateCompassion,finally.I am proud to be Canadian.Reply Like April 9 at 7:14am16

Cathy Bambrick J. L. Ilsley High SchoolYes I agree also I watched my husband die a slow ,torturing painful death with ALS what was worse for both of us was having our two children suffer andendure this as well Sorry for all the god worshipping people out there but all the praying to Jesus was a total waste of time and our sufferingReply Like April 9 at 7:48am12

Mark Northcott Top CommenterUm, The article has it wrong.. The standards council of Canada is not the high court... acronyms mixed up.Reply Like April 10 at 12:51am11


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Allana Leah Top Commenter Richer, ManitobaA person should have the choice to end it if they are facing life with no hope of relief. Reply Like April 8 at 6:33pm11

Sonny Nauss Top Commenter Dalhousie UniversityAbout time!!Reply Like April 8 at 8:40am10


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076.canada legalizes euthanasia high court passes assisted suicide law

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