This Is Where the Right to Die Leads Us

By Alex Schadenberg*

Spiked published an in-depth article by Lauren Smith on January 15, 2024 titled: "Canada has revealed the horror of assisted dying." Smith tells the stories of the many people who have felt forced into  considering death by euthanasia.

Smith sets the stage for her article by calling Canada's euthanasia law a gruesome, state-sanctioned industry. Smith states:

There is nothing remotely civilized about Canada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) programme. Assisted dying in Canada was initially considered a last resort for terminally ill patients suffering from incurable pain. But in the space of just a few years, euthanasia has been made available to pretty much anyone who is struggling with an illness or a disability. Even Canadians facing homelessness and poverty are feeling compelled to end their lives, rather than ‘burden’ the authorities.

Margaret Dore: The "Oregon Experience," Ann Jackson, and Why the Proposed Right to Die Must Be Rejected in South Africa

Below please find Margaret Dore's expert witness memorandum, prepared for a South Africa court case, Suzanne Walter v. Ministry of Health. See also the comment below from a South African advocate:  

A number of the points made by you are incisive and helpful. I found your interpretation of section 27 of the Constitution particularly useful.... The argument will, amongst others, find its way into the final legal argument before the High Court, and the courts that follow.

To view Dore's original memorandum, click here. To view the memorandum's three-part appendix, click part 1, part 2 and part 3.