by Paul Russell: The recent Western Australian State election created a new Labor Government, replacing the longstanding Liberal Government.In what must be said to be an unfortunate growing trend amongst the leaders of the two main state-based political parties across the country, the new Premier, Mark McGowan has made no secret of his support for euthanasia over a number of years and over two successive elections. Continue reading

by Paul Russell: A citizen's initiative to raise the issue of euthanasia in the Finnish Parliament (Eduskunta) passed the requisite 50,000 signatories required to trigger a parliamentary debate late last year. This week the matter came before the main chamber.The Uutiset news website reports that a broad concensus was reached on the need for universal access to palliative care; but a clear divide exists on the question of patient killing. Continue reading

Alex Schadenberg International Chair - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition I have sad news. Yesterday Germany's federal court decided that "in extreme circumstances" the refusal of a suicide drug is illegal.According to a DW news story: Continue reading

by Alex Schadenberg Executive Director - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition The Oregon Senate is currently debating Bill S.B. 893 that would expand assisted suicide to incompetent people who stated in a valid advanced directive, while competent, a wish to die by lethal drugs and the bill permits euthanasia.The bill officially also legalizes euthanasia. Continue reading

How a person dies affects others, not just in the present but in the future.by Margaret Somerville Some time ago, I was a member of an ethics committee set up as part of the Nuclear Waste Management Organization established by the Canadian Government to advise it on how it should deal with the complex issue of the disposal of nuclear waste.At the first meeting of the committee, the chairperson asked us each to introduce ourselves and to make some brief remarks relevant to the disposal issue. Continue reading

by Paul Russell: The Australian Tropfest Short Film Festival winner for 2017 is a dark comedy called The Mother Situation. The largest film festival of its kind in the world, now in its 25th year, gave its prestigeous gong to a film about assisted suicide.Australians are known for their sometimes dark humour. This is not the first Australian film to take a comedic look at this sensitive subject. In 2015 the film 'Last Cab to Darwin' won a raft of awards for the story of a Cab driver with stomach cancer who travels to Darwin in the mid-1990s to die under the Northern Territory's short-lived euthanasia laws (see promotional video). Based loosely on the true story of Cab Driver, Max Bell who travelled thousands of kilometers by car from his home in Broken Hill seeking euthanasia, the film is an interesting look at life, death and relationships that diverges from the true story in some significant ways. Continue reading

Alex Schadenberg Executive Director - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition An article by Sharon Kirkey published in the National Post indicates that as of February 17 there were 137 Ontario doctors who were willing to be on a list of doctors who will do euthanasia, but there were also 24 doctors who asked to be removed from the list and another 30 doctors who have asked to be temporarily off the list.Euthanasia was officially legalized on June 17, 2016 in Canada. Therefore, within 8 months, 24 Ontario doctors who agreed to lethally inject patients have changed their mind while another 30 doctors are now unsure about participating in euthanasia. Continue reading

Aubert Martin republished from Mercatornet's Careful blog The euthanasia machine has once again become activated, following the "compassionate" murder of a woman with advanced stage Alzheimer's. Although the details are not yet known, it appears that her exhausted spouse may have "cracked". The despair into which this poor man plunged demonstrates well the harsh reality that caregivers can endure when providing for a relative with Alzheimer's disease.However, instead of questioning the support offered to the sick and their loved ones, the debate was immediately channeled towards euthanasia, conveniently called "medical aid in dying". Continue reading