EPC PRESENTATION

Euthanasia Prevention Coalition makes presentation to Senate Committee.
Euthanasia Prevention Coalition of Ontario Newsletter 4

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition of Ontario presented our position to the members of the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs on March 20, 2000; with regards to the recommendations made by the Special Senate Committee on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide in their document "Of Life and Death" with respect to Compassionate Homicide. We concluded with the following remarks:

We believe that any change in the law to allow for a "Compassionate Homicide" exemption from the mandatory minimal sentence would lead to a further erosion of protections for vulnerable people in society and result in more killing of vulnerable persons, particularly the physically and mentally disabled, the elderly, the chronically ill, and the depressed. It would also lead to abuses of the present system whereby defence lawyers, when possible, will attempt a plea of "compassionate homicide" with the hope of lessening the sentence for their clients. It would create a two-tier justice system. Those who kill vulnerable persons will be treated more leniently than those who kill otherwise healthy people. It would result in an expensive challenge to the law to the Supreme Court of Canada based on the provisions of Section 15 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

We believe that the government of Canada should not create a new "Compassionate Homicide" law but rather introduce a policy of stricter sentences for people who kill vulnerable persons. This would establish a precedent that vulnerable people have special needs and therefore need special protections. It would also remind unethical family members, friends and medical care givers that the trust relationship that they have must be upheld and not abused.

We also believe that hospice/palliative care, and care for other vulnerable persons within Canada should be enhanced and promoted. Canada has some of the best palliative care and care for the disabled in the world. Isn’t it a better response to build upon the supportive and caring environment of palliative care and care for the disabled rather than lessening the sentences for those who kill the vulnerable. If the reason for killing a disabled child is the lack of care available to the parent, are we not also akin to the killing of that child.

We believe dignity is not found in one’s personal autonomy over death but rather their experience of love and caring with others. We recognize compassion as suffering with another, but our reaction of doing something for them, of granting the other dignity is by caring for them. True compassion lead’s to sharing another’s pain; it does not kill the person whose suffering we cannot bear. The true test of our dignity is not how we achieve our self actualization but rather how we serve the needs of others and create a society that equally respects the lives of everyone, including the disabled, the dying, the suffering, the depressed and all other vulnerable persons.

Internet Address for Presentations to Update "Of Life and Death": http://www.parl.gc.ca/36/2/parlbus/commbus/senate/com-e/upda-e.htm