Britain refusing to prosecute law-breaking euthanasia tourists The founder of the Swiss euthanasia group Dignitas, Ludwig Minelli, said in a recent interview that he is seeking permission from the courts in Switzerland to assist in the suicide of a perfectly healthy woman. The woman is the wife of an unnamed and ill Canadian man who may seek suicide at the Dignitas facility; [...]
A Quebec couple has launched a $3.5-million lawsuit against Montreal Children's Hospital for allegedly putting their infant daughter back on artificial food and hydration without their approval. Marie-Eve Laurendeau gave birth to Phebe Mantha at LaSalle Hospital in November 2007. After a difficult delivery, Phebe was transferred to Montreal Children's Hospital in serious condition and put on life support. According to the [...]
Alex Schadenberg discusses online suicide counseling and websites, after a depressed Carleton U student was given internet ‘advice’ by a nurse from Minnesota to take her own life.
Alex Schadenberg analyzes the American state’s ‘Death with Dignity Act’, which reveals a dangerous trend.
Michael Coren discusses the inherent contradiction within the notion of ‘dying with dignity’.
Lalonde plans to re-introduce a euthanasia bill.
Stephane Dufour, 30, was found not guilty in assisting the hanging suicide death of his uncle, Chantal Maltais, 49, of Alma, Que. Although he initially denied even being in the room with his uncle at the time of his arrest, Dufour told the court he gave into pressure to help Maltais commit suicide. Family members who talked to the press when Maltais [...]
The World Federation for the Right to Die Societies and the Association pour le Droit de Mourrir Dignement (France's Association for the Right to Die with Dignity) co-sponsored an international conference, which took place in Paris, Oct. 29 - Nov. 2. The gathering takes place every two years and the last one was held in Toronto in 2006. A total of 120 [...]
On June 12, Francine Lalonde (Bloc Quebecois - La Pointe-de-l’Île) introduced Bill C-562, An Act to Amend the Criminal Code (Right to Die With Dignity) to amend Subsections 222(7) and 241(2) of the Criminal Code with an eye to legalizing euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide. In June 2005, Lalonde introduced Bill C-407, a similar bill. Bill C-562 has only minor variations from Bill C-407. [...]
Recently, there have been some disturbing trends in Europe towards fewer restrictions on euthanasia and assisted suicide. Pressures also are appearing to establish a “right” to be killed. Euthanasia and assisted suicide were legalized in the Netherlands and Belgium in 2002. The Netherlands had effectively legalized euthanasia and assisted suicide by the decree of the courts in 1985, with the 2002 legalization [...]
During an interview on the CBC radio show Cross Country Checkup in March, Jocelyn Downie, the Canada research chair in health, law and policy from Dalhousie University, stated she knew that new legislation was being drafted to legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide in Canada. Downie also said a new test case had been drafted to challenge the Criminal Code prohibitions of euthanasia via [...]
Convicted child killer Robert Latimer was granted day parole by an appeal board in February and then released in mid-March. Latimer, who killed his daughter Tracy, who had cerebral palsy, in 1993 and was convicted by two juries of second-degree murder, began his 10-25 year sentence in 2001, after the Supreme Court affirmed a lower court decision. In December, the National Parole [...]
Once again the Oregon Death With Dignity Act annual report is more about numbers than actual information. It is important to note that there are no case reports connected to the annual report on Oregon’s assisted suicides, and there is no guarantee that all the cases of assisted suicide have been reported. The number of reported deaths has risen in 2007 to 49, [...]
Samuel Golubchuk is an orthodox Jewish man who is on life-support at Grace Hospital in Winnipeg.Grace Hospital believes it has the right to end this life-sustaining care against the wishes of the Golubchuk family. Samuel is currently dependent on a respirator and receives fluids and food through a feeding tube. On March 14, Neil Kravetsky and the lawyers for Grace Hospital met [...]
The most important part of the International Symposium on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide was the strategy session that was held on Nov. 29, the day before the public symposium began. International leaders had an opportunity to discuss their concerns and successes. This was a ground-breaking moment for many of the leaders who work in their jurisdictions and rarely get the opportunity to [...]