Euthanasia is currently illegal in Canada but the question is fuelling debate since the law authorising assisted suicide came into force in Quebec on 10 December. Prior to the adoption of this law, the “Quebec Human Rights and Youth Rights’ Commission recommended extending euthanasia to children” and “a report recently published by a Consultancy Group in Ontario did not recommend an age limit”.
Faced with these “dangerous” measures, Sylvain, Sherley and their 5 year-old daughter, Jolyanne, asked the Canadian Prime Minister not to support euthanasia “to ensure the wellbeing of families”. They have had to face numerous pressures including the decision by doctors to abort following incorrect diagnosis of Down syndrome during pregnancy and then to “switch off” Sherley’s life support machine when she was in a coma. They begged the Prime Minister to say no to euthanasia and outlined several reasons:
- “Euthanasia is not a medical treatment”,
- Euthanasia is contrary to the physicians’ code of conduct, which prohibits a physician from willingly terminating a person’s life even if that person requests it,
- A person with a serious condition is often depressed and his/her judgment may be clouded,
- There are financial and social pressures,
- Medical diagnoses may be wrong,
- There may be errors in terms of prognosis, i.e. the anticipated outcome of a disease or disorder,
- The criteria governing euthanasia are always extended from adults to children, from those with severe diseases to those suffering only from serious disorders, and person suffering physically to those coping solely with depression,
- Palliative care alleviates pain and suffering without ending a person’s life prematurely. Unfortunately, however, palliative care is not available to the majority of Canadians. Hence there is no freedom of choice”.
Newswire (16/12/2015)