Monday, November 28, 2011

Commandment 5

The Globe and Mail is running a tremendous series on end-of-life care

Around the issue revolves the ongoing debate delicately titled "Physician Assisted Suicide"  The question posed in an online poll was "should physician assisted suicide be legalized in Canada?"

The result was a majority in favour.  What is this, 1984?  What if the question had been more properly asked,

"Should Canada amend the criminal code to make it legal to hire a professional to kill your loved one?"

Look, I don't begin to pretend to fully comprehend how difficult it is for a family to watch their loved one suffer even though my ministry is in palliative care.  Unless you've been there, you don't know and I pray I may never really know.  I do know that our faith tells us that we do not suffer alone.  I also know that is cold comfort for some, and a great relief for others.  The reasons many may ask for legal "mercy" killing are the same reasons why proper palliative care must be available to more, and if possible, all Canadians.

Read more about how Canada is lagging here in a report released today by Hon. Joe Comartin, MPP for Windsor Tecumseh.  If we can fix the palliative care question, we end the euthanasia debate.

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