Less than 24 hours ago, the House of Commons said a resounding “no” to a private member’s bill proposing the legalization of euthanasia and assisted suicide. The vote of 59 in favour of Bill C-384 and 228 opposed was a stronger reflection than anticipated of the understanding that what was being proposed is not good public policy.
The bill itself was so flawed, due to vagueness in its language and with so few safeguards to protect those over 18 who wished assistance to end their lives because of physical or mental pain, that even MPs who support the legalization of euthanasia ended up voting against it. But that doesn’t mean the subject has been dispensed with. After all, this is the third time that MP Francine Lalonde (La Pointe-de-I’lle) has introduced a similar bill and three strikes in Parliament does not guarantee “your out.”
As the issue was discussed, polling data released by the news media indicated a majority of Canadians support the concept. (Although, the media did not report all polling data as Environics conducted a poll on behalf of LifeCanada which asked similar questions – receiving similar response – and then clarified what euthanasia is, what assisted suicide is, the experience in the Netherlands where “involuntary euthanasia” has become commonplace, etc and then asked the questions of support again; this time, receiving a reversed result.) Hence, the issue is likely to be discussed again … and raised in Parliament, yet again.
The debate has become focused on whether or not we should help people die. The slogan “death with dignity” has been used to imply that only a chosen death is a dignified death. But the real discussion in contemporary Canada needs to be about how we can help people live with dignity and die with the dignity of not a chosen death but a peaceful and natural death.
Canada has developed some of the most comprehensive and supportive laws and accommodations to facilitate life for people with disabilities. We must continue to value these among all lives.
Canada has developed and implemented some of the best palliative care available anywhere in the world, there’s just not enough of it available. We must continue to value the dying as still alive.
And Canadians have shown the high value we, as a society, place on life by calling, writing and visiting MPs to express our belief in the uniqueness and value of human life, each and every human life.
Thank you to all who have engaged – whether organizationally through the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, Campaign Life Coalition, LifeCanada, The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, and others – or personally. And, thank you to the Members of Parliament who cast their votes in favour of caring for the living.