Mixed reviews in Newmarket Saturday during assisted-death bill discussion

Area MPs meet with residents to debate ramifications of Bill C-14

Yorkregion.com
April 30, 2016
By Ali Raza

For some, it’s about dignity and choice. For others, it is a dangerous move that will turn doctors into executioners.

There was a range of opinions in Newmarket Saturday when York Region MPs met with residents at the York Region administrative centre to discuss Bill C-14, a bill now in second reading of Parliament that will determine if medically assisted death has legality in Canada.

Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill MP Leona Allesley, Richmond Hill MP Majid Jowhari, Markham-Thornhill MP and Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister John McCallum, Newmarket-Aurora MP Kyle Peterson, Markham-Stouffville MP and Minister of Health Jane Philpott, King-Vaughan MP Deb Schulte and Vaughan-Woodbridge MP Francesco Sorbara were in attendance.

The MPs were joined by several dozen residents from across York Region whose opinions were split across the board.

“This is the most complex and challenging file that I’ve had the privilege of working on since coming into government,” Philpott told residents at the meeting.

Indeed it was, as some residents saw the bill as having “gone too far”, while others thought it “hadn’t gone far enough.”

Bill C-14 aims to make amendments to the Criminal Code of Canada to allow for medically assisted deaths in special cases. Those special cases were outlined through safeguards presented in the bill. For example, patients with mental illnesses, under the age of 18 or requesting in-advance assistance were not allowed to seek medically assisted death.

That news wasn’t enough for Penny Mills, who suffers from ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Barely able to speak coherently, she made a direct plea to Philpott to allow an advance request.

“I beg you to draw that distinction so that we don’t have to suffer,” she said to the applause of half the audience.

Another resident suffering from pancreatic cancer, Manuel Solera, made a similar plea that he “be allowed to die with dignity”.

The other half applauded comments describing the controversil bill as giving doctors “executioner power” as described by several residents.

A Richmond Hill resident asked the MPs what the consequence would be if Parliament did not pass the legislation before the Supreme Court’s deadline. Philpott explained that since the Supreme Court had given Canadian adults the right to medically assisted deaths Feb. 6, 2015 - in the aftermath of the Carter versus Canada case - not meeting the deadline would result in an amendment to the Criminal Code without legislation.

The meeting comes when Parliament is pressed for time, as the Supreme Court mandated legislation to be prepared by the Feb. 6 deadline, which has since been extended to June 6.
With just over one month left until legislation is expected to pass, residents are anything but unanimous on their views of the bill.

Many citizens who supported the bill shared their own personal stories of family members and friends who had suffered through cancer, dementia or other life-threatening illnesses. While those opposed feared the consequences of the legislation, one resident said he “wouldn’t trust a doctor who would do that”.

As it stands now, the bill remains a “balanced” framework, as Philpott hesitantly described it, while personal autonomy remains a “fundamental principle”, she said.

“Personal autonomy, request for vulnerable people and the conscience rights of health care providers are fundamental principles we tried to uphold in this legislation,” Philpott explained.
As there is no international consensus to medically assisted deaths, the legislation will be monitored by the federal government to ensure its outlined safeguards are followed.

Belgium and the Netherlands have had medically assisted deaths permitted by law for the past 15 years. One resident suggested they be looked at as examples on how to implement it in Canada.

Philpott stressed that palliative care was still a priority for the Ministry of Health.

“We have not had a palliative care system in Canada that ought to be,” she said. “In general, only 15 to 25 per cent of Canadians have access to high quality palliative care.”

Jowhari presented closing statements with a personal story of the death of his father. The MPs reassured residents that their thoughts and opinions would be with them when the final vote was cast on the legislation.