OTTAWA – The EFC is deeply disappointed with the Carter decision and calls on the Federal Government to move quickly to respond to today’s Supreme Court assisted-suicide ruling in Carter v. Canada.
“Today Canada has crossed a threshold by opening the door to assisted-suicide and voluntary euthanasia,” said EFC President Bruce Clemenger. “Our society has a long legal history of unambiguously affirming the sanctity of human life. The Court has ruled that in some circumstances the killing of a person will be legal. Euthanasia has come to Canada.”
By including the “administration of medication” in its definition of physician-assisted death, the Court has decriminalized not only assisted-suicide (defined as a person killing himself) but also voluntary euthanasia, in which medical professionals do the actual killing.
Facts:
- Assisted-suicide has long been considered a criminal act in Canada, but this court decision strikes down those sections of the Criminal Code(s. 241b and s. 14) with respect to the grievously and irremediably ill facing intolerable suffering and who clearly consent.
- The declaration that these sections are invalid was suspended for 12 months to give the Federal Government time to write new legislation to regulate assisted-suicide.
“With the 12-month time frame given by the Court, Parliament must move quickly to ensure that stringent safeguards, protections and oversights are in place,” said Clemenger. “The experience of other countries is that over time the safeguards are ignored or weakened, placing vulnerable people at risk. As Canadians, we need to ensure that high quality palliative care is available and comfort and care are provided so that no one comes to believe being killed is their best option.”
-30-
For more information or an interview contact:
Rick Hiemstra, Director of Media Relations
The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada
(613) 233-9868 x332
MediaRelations@theEFC.ca