Did you know that most Canadians want the right to physician-assisted death?
On February 6, the Supreme Court unanimously struck down the laws against physicians helping someone end their own life (assisted suicide) and actively ending someone’s life at their request (consent to death). Individuals seeking help must have a grievous and irremediable medical condition (which may be due to illness, injury or disability) to qualify, and assistance must be provided by a physician. These changes take effect a year from the court’s decision: February 6, 2016. At first blush, this seems like a landmark victory for those who believe religious dogma should not curtail individual choices. But that conclusion would be premature. The court’s decision only broadly sketches out a solution; the details will determine whether the spirit of the decision is honoured. (See the Full Article by Dr. David Robertson)