More than 300 Quebec physicians provided their signed support, beseeching all Quebecers to become aware of the dangers the report poses to their wellbeing and urging them to implore the opposition majority in Quebec's National Assembly to condemn it.
"This report is the work of some hand-picked lawyers who present the act of doctors killing patients as if it were part of a natural continuum with good end-of-life care," said PATRE spokesperson Dr. Catherine Ferrier. "They and the politicians who appointed them introduce the term 'medically assisted dying' as if it were something different from killing patients. This act is abhorrent to us as doctors, and should appal Quebecers who care about social justice and building communities that care about the most vulnerable."
"This report is the work of some hand-picked lawyers who present the act of doctors killing patients as if it were part of a natural continuum with good end-of-life care," said PATRE spokesperson Dr. Catherine Ferrier. "They and the politicians who appointed them introduce the term 'medically assisted dying' as if it were something different from killing patients. This act is abhorrent to us as doctors, and should appal Quebecers who care about social justice and building communities that care about the most vulnerable."
READ MOTRE: http://www.calgaryherald.com/opinion/columnists/Corbella+Untruths+used+push+euthanasia/7975050/story.html
Bravo to you. The Menard report is not accessible online in English, as far as I can tell. This is another example of the backroom power plays and lack of transparency as policy directions unfold.
ReplyDeleteAssisted suicide and euthanasia are not 'treatments' in a continuum of care and cannot be disguised as ' assisted dying.' Canada needs to expand Hospice/Palliative care, and other chronic care resources, across the country, otherwise there are in fact no options. There is no choice without options.
Indeed, Canadians have serious access problems to primary care, chronic care resources, pain management and specialist care. Medicine has become a turn-stile operation in British Columbia, in my recent experience as a patient. What kind of choice is assisted suicide if there are no treatment options during the course of a chronic or terminal illness?
We also know that mortality and morbidity rates are higher among some groups than others, these are the most socially vulnerable and disadvantaged citizens, who are at the highest risk of maltreatment under this proposal.
We know from several clinical studies, that the triggers for physician assisted suicide requests have less to do with pain and physical suffering than feelings of hopelessness and lack of social supports. It is appalling to think that the social and emotional needs of patients will be neglected, in favor of hastening their deaths.
Thank you for standing up against a very dangerous, anti-social movement
MdM, British Columbia, Health Care Social Worker