The Archives

Disability advocates in North America are deeply concerned about the risks that legalized euthanasia and assisted suicide pose to persons with disabilities. In their view, it becomes another opportunity for society to exercise its own prejudices about disability and the lives of persons with disabilities. As the January 2010 edition of the Disability and Health Journal points out, “fear of disability underlies assisted suicide.” Read More

Read More

A group of 15 medical students and residents from Quebec’s medical schools (Universite de Montreal, Mc Gill University, Universite de Sherbrooke, and Universite Laval) wrote a powerful Op-Ed which was published in the National Post on Wednesday November 18th, 2009.

In it they state “We, future physicians, will be watchful never to intentionally kill those patients who will be entrusted to us.” It is critical to have voices from the medical profession stand up for what health care should be. Read More

I have received many comments regarding the video of Marie Elena Silva, many positive and some less so. I would like to explain what is special about her story and to provide depth on some of her comments. Read More

Read More

Doctor Manuel Borod published an article in the Montreal Gazette on why he does not support the introduction of euthanasia and assisted suicide in Canada. He lays out the common myths and talks about what he has seen as a physician. The article begins on this note:

Every day my colleagues and I meet patients – young and old, rich and poor, male and female, of all faiths. They are all facing life-threatening illnesses; most will die within a few months. They might be afraid of suffering, dying, leaving loved ones, being abandoned, becoming a burden, losing their autonomy and their dignity. Yet not one of my colleagues would support the legalization of euthanasia… Full Article Read More

One need not look far for examples of elderly people being forced to sign away their assets to caregivers who will abandon them if they don’t. These people are lucid, competent and yet are pressured into doing things they don’t want to, because they are vulnerable. Could such persons be pressured into euthanasia? Looking at a tired caregiver, not wanting to die alone; could such persons make a rational choice to end their lives? Absolutely. Did they want to die just then? Maybe not.   Read More

Winnipeg – Le Conseil des Canadiens avec déficiences (CCD) estime que tous les partisans des droits des personnes handicapées devraient contester le Projet de loi C-384 qui légaliserait l’euthanasie et le suicide assisté et qui menacerait les Canadiens avec des déficiences. Le CCD est une organisation nationale de défense des droits des personnes handicapées, œuvrant pour un Canada accessible et inclusif. Read More

18 June 2009       For Immediate Release

Winnipeg—The COUNCIL OF CANADIANS WITH DISABILITIES (CCD) believes that everyone who supports disability rights should oppose Bill C-384 which would legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide and put Canadians with disabilities at risk! CCD is a national human rights organization of persons with disabilities working for an accessible and inclusive Canada. Read More

Dignity means many things to different people – worth, sense of pride, self-esteem and respect. For some, dignity is intrinsic to people – such that every person’s life is one with dignity; for others, dignity can be lost. It is this second perpective that motivates Francine Lalonde and her supporters – that some people have lost their dignity through suffering and those who want it should have the possibility to end their lives, even with assistance. There have been several studies,  that examine the question of dignity relating to the desire for death. Read More