I support a person’s right to die a dignified physician-assisted death.
Wow, did that ever feel good to hear someone definitively answer that question even though it was me.
Last week, the Supreme Court of Canada cleared the way for this important step in Canada’s democratic evolution. The unanimous decision had politicians lining up to run away from the issue.
Okay, to be fair, Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party, did issue a statement favouring the ruling.
“Today’s decision to respect the wishes of Canadians who live in unimaginable agony was a relief to patients and their families,” she said. “The Supreme Court affirmed that Canadians must be free to make important decisions about what kind of end-of-life care they receive. Parliament should take immediate action to legislate new rules that respect the Supreme Court’s ruling.”
And Steven Fletcher was predictably pleased. Currently a Conservative backbencher, Fletcher is all too painfully aware of the issue having been rendered a quadriplegic in a collision with a moose in 1996 and now requires 24-hour attendant care. He has tabled two private member’s bills to address the issue.
What I find so frustrating about the political equivocating is that it should be a no-brainer for the parties. The ban has now been ruled unconstitutional. Canadians overwhelmingly support the move. An Ipsos-Reid poll from last fall put the number at 84 per cent so nobody should be worried about the political fallout with the possible exception of Stephen Harper who may run a risk, albeit a small one, of alienating some of his most hard-core base.
Even so, he can always blame the “unelected judges” for painting him into a corner. Oh wait, no he can’t since he himself appointed six of the nine jurists who made the decision.
Liberal leader Justin Trudeau should not have any problem since it is official Liberal Party policy since last year’s national convention.
Honestly, I do not understand why adult people cannot have a civilized discussion, not about whether to do it, rather how we are going to implement it to strike the correct balance between respect for an individual’s right to die and protecting the vulnerable.
Canada is lagging behind on this matter; it is now time to catch up.
