BC Humanist Association’s Response to Assisted Dying Consultations

by | September 11, 2015

Ian Bushfield left a comment to yesterday’s Canadian Atheist post, “Debunking the National Post “:

Make sure to also read the BC Humanist Association’s full response to the two consultations on assisted dying and add your own voice.

I’ve read BC Humanist’s response, and I’m sharing it here:

Allow assisted dying for all who choose it

 

Physician-assisted deaths should be available for any Canadian who freely chooses it, even if they are not terminally-ill, the BC Humanists argue in its response to two government consultations.

Ian Bushfield, BC Humanists Executive Director, said:

“The Supreme Court of Canada has spoken and an overwhelming majority of Canadians agree: People with a grievous illness should have the right to choose when and how to end their life. We believe the federal and provincial governments of Canada should take this opportunity and enshrine the right to a dignified death for anyone who freely chooses it.”

The Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario have separately launched expert panels to consult on a regulatory response to the Supreme Court of Canada’s unanimous decision that physician-assisted dying should be permitted in certain circumstances.

In our response to the two consultations, we argue:
• There is no moral argument to limit access to a physician-assisted death to individuals with “a grievous and irremediable medical condition.”
• Safeguards should ensure that decisions are free, voluntary, and informed but should not make access unjustly difficult.
• Physician-assisted death should be guaranteed through the publicly-funded healthcare system and institutions that refuse should see their funding removed.
• There should be no “conscientious objection” clauses for physicians and pharmacists.

Bushfield and the BC Humanist Association urge you to add your voice to theirs:

Take action

 

Make sure you respond to the two consultations. You can read our submissions through the links or use the text below in writing your own response. Also make sure you check out Dying With Dignity Canada’s Voice Your Choice campaign.

 

Click here to read our response to the Federal Government’s consultation.

Make sure you respond before October 11th, 2015.
*Respond to the “Issue Book” survey
*Submit a letter through their online submission portal

 

Click here to read our response to the Ontario-led provincial consultation.

Make sure you respond before October 1st, 2015.
*Respond to the online survey
*Send a letter to endoflifedecisions@ontario.ca

 

Make sure to copy any responses to us at info@bchumanist.ca and Dying With Dignity Canada at consultation@dyingwithdignity.ca.
Then share this page on Twitter and Facebook and ask everyone you know to submit their own responses.

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