By Alex SchadenbergExecutive Director - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition. On February 25, the Special Committee on Physician-Assisted Dying released its report advising the government what to include in the euthanasia legislation in Canada.The Supreme Court struck down Canada's assisted suicide law (February 6, 2015) and have now given parliament until June 6, 2016 to implement a new law. Continue reading

By Alex SchadenbergExecutive Director - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition The Report of the Special Joint Committee on Physician-Assisted Dying (Committee) was released today under the veneer of a "Patient-Centred Approach."The report contains 21 recommendations that ensure access to euthanasia and assisted suicide, under the term "Assisted Dying" for people who seeks to be killed by a medical professional, based on physical or psychological suffering. Continue reading

By Michael Cook cross posted from Bioedge At least one person and perhaps three have been euthanased in Quebec since the Canadian province's legislation went into effect in December. Dr Georges L'Espérance, president of the death-with-dignity group l'Association québécoise pour le droit de mourir dans la dignité, said that he was not aware of the circumstances surrounding the deaths.Dr L'Espérance does not believe that the number of euthanasia deaths will be very large. "Considering our population here and what has happened in other countries (where euthanasia is legal), I would be very surprised if we have more than 50 or 60 cases in the first year," he told the National Post. Continue reading

The Supreme Court of Canada gave an extension of time to the National Parliament to legislate for euthanasia and assisted suicide. It's not enough argues Charlie Lewis. By Charlie Lewis (cross posted from Alex Schadenberg's blog)You can read Alex's full eport HERE. Continue reading

by WESLEY J. SMITH  Canada is on the verge of instituting the most radical culture of death in the world.More radical than the Netherlands, which allows psychiatrists to euthanize the mentally ill. Continue reading

This article was published by OneNewsNow on September 25, 2015. by Alex SchadenbergA Canadian province is getting tough with medical personnel who are opposed to doctor-assisted suicide. Continue reading

By Alex SchadenbergExecutive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition According to an article written by Sharon Kirkey and published by newspapers affiliated with the National Post, the Québec government will distribute euthanasia kits with step by step instructions for killing patients. The Québec government is following a similar protocol to the Netherlands euthanasia law.After several years of language games, it is clear that the Québec government has given physicians the right, in law, to kill their patients by lethal injection. The article states: Continue reading

By Dr Kevin Fitzpatrick OBE, is the director of Hope Ireland. (First published on Alex Schadenberg's Blog) February 6, 2015 was a disastrous day for Canadians with disabilities - not just for them - but for all disabled people everywhere, and all people made vulnerable by the fact that they are facing end-of-life decisions.The Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) judgement writes euthanasia into law on the grounds of disability alone. That is archetypal disability discrimination - in this case, to death. Continue reading

This article was published in the Winnipeg Free Press on February 24, 2015 and reposted from Alex Schadenberg's blog Dr Harvey Max Chochinov holds the Canada Research Chair in Palliative Care.A few days after the Supreme Court of Canada overturned the prohibition against doctor-assisted suicide, I received a note from a wonderful colleague of mine saying that her closest friend's 53-year-old son had just died of spinal cancer. Two weeks before his death, he had visited his doctor, experiencing "terrible pain." Despite his anguish, his physician refused to give him morphine, claiming that because he was a smoker he was "more likely to become addicted." Continue reading

First published on CANADIAN CATHOLIC NEWSFebruary 25, 2015 OTTAWA - McGill University ethicist Margaret Somerville has called for a Royal Commission on "physician-assisted death" as well as for the federal government to invoke the notwithstanding clause to trump the Supreme Court's recent ruling on the matter.In a Feb. 19 letter to Justice Minister Peter MacKay, the founding director of the McGill Centre for Medicine, Ethics and the Law wrote him of the "gravity" Canada faces as a result of the Carter decision that struck down Canada's laws against physician-assisted suicide. Continue reading