Canadian parliamentary debate: Without amendment, Bill C-14 "will protect no one."

Garnett Genuis, MP

Mr. Garnett Genuis (Sherwood Park ­Fort Saskatchewan, CPC) . . .

I want to be clear that I do not believe in an all-or-nothing approach. Many of my colleagues and I who have broad philosophical concerns about what is happening here are still willing to vote in favour of legislation that does not re-criminalize euthanasia, if it advances positively in the direction of saving some lives, especially minimizing the risk to vulnerable persons. However, this legislation does not contain meaningful safeguards. Without amendment, it will protect no one.

We know that this law has written exceptions. However, it has exceptions to the exceptions; and may I say it has exceptions to the exceptions that are not at all exceptional?

This legislation has a requirement for the provision of written consent. However, if people cannot provide written consent, someone else can do it on their behalf.

This legislation prescribes a waiting period. However, the waiting period does not apply in the event of possible imminent death or loss of capacity.

There is so much ambiguity here.

Canada: Liberal MP Robert-Falcon Ouellette is Voting "NO"

Robert-Falcon Ouellette, MP

http://aptn.ca/news/2016/04/20/indigenous-liberal-mp-ouellette-voting-against-governments-assisted-dying-bill/

Liberal MP Robert-Falcon Ouellette says he plans to vote against his party’s proposed bill to legalize medically assisted dying [assisted suicide and euthanasia].

Ouellette said the federal government should work around the deadline and delay legalizing assisted death for at least five to 10 years until it’s absolutely clear what sort of impact it would have in all corners of Canadian society.

Why on Earth is Anyone Surprised By the Rise in US Suicides? Advertising Works.

"Though the economy may well have contributed to this rise,
True Dignity calls everyone’s attention to a fact that is being ignored. 1998 was the year in which Oregon became the first state in the nation  to put legalized assisted suicide into practice."

From True Dignity Vermont:

News sources are reporting with surprise and seeming alarm on the Center for Disease Control's newly released statistics showing that deaths by suicide in the entire US are on the rise.  Why the surprise?  It has been common knowledge since the rise of mass media, and even before, that advertising works.

True Dignity has neither the expertise nor the time to analyze the CDC report’s statistics  in detail.   A few quotes will suffice to paint the picture of our current situation.

“The suicide rate in the United States increased by 24% from 1999 through 2014…among all groups.  The increase in suicide rate has been steady since 1999, before which there was a consistent decline since 1986…”  (USA Today, April 22, 2016, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/04/22/suicide-rate-rise-us/83284568/).

Canadian Government Position on Suicide "Absurd"

http://lethbridgeherald.com/commentary/letters-to-the-editor/2016/04/21/is-suicidea-right-ora-tragedy/

Suicide: a right or a tragedy? 

The Emperor has no clothes.

The answer to this question might seem obvious, but the government of Canada apparently thinks that "both" is an appropriate answer. In one week, the same MPs in the same House of Commons discussed recently introduced legislation concerning assisted dying, while also holding an emergency debate on the rash of suicides and suicide attempts in remote aboriginal communities. This is absurd.

On the one hand, we are justifiably concerned and dismayed over the alarming suicide rates in aboriginal communities. And why shouldn't we be? It is tragic that so many people, especially youth, wish to end their lives, deciding that life is meaningless and not worth living.