Shopping St. John, N.B. In November 1991, R.C. Bishop Edward Troy wrote premier Frank McKenna deploring the sudden and arbitrary decision to permit Sunday shopping on a temporary basis. It opens the door to the exploitation of workers and the erosion of family values, he said. In early December, Bishop Troy wrote an open letter to Dan Cameron, leader of the CoR [...]
Are there any arguments against euthanasia that are not based on religion or the sanctity of life argument – ideas that an atheist might accept? L.J., Willowdale, Ontario The well-known British medical journal The Lancet published an article on this topic, December 1989. Amongst the most important arguments is that euthanasia destroys the doctor-patient relationship, as is evident in Holland. Throughout history [...]
The purpose of The Interim is to set forth the truth about the freedom and dignity of the individual human person in the area of family, marital and sexual morality. Insofar as religion and politics, law and medicine, economics and culture impinge upon this sphere, The Interim makes these areas her own. Erring clergy, indifferent politicians, lawless magistrates, doctors of death, abusers [...]
Quebec. On February 13, a week after the end of the 30-day period in which an appeal was possible against Mr. Justice Dufour’s ruling that she had a right to be taken off her life support system, Nancy B.’s respirator was taken off; she died seven minutes later. When she was unplugged, a hospital spokesman said, she was unconscious because of tranquilizers, [...]
Euthanasia bill dies Ottawa: Robert Wenman’s euthanasia bill died in Committee on February 18. The bill, described as “dangerous” because of much vague wording allowing multiple interpretations, was sponsored by Robert Wenman, Conservative MP for Fraser Valley West, BC. Black Out Ottawa: NDP Dawn Black’s Motion asking for more federal funding for Planned Parenthood was defeated in the House of Commons 95 [...]
At its annual strategy meeting in Halifax, N.S., in November 1991 Campaign Life Coalition asked all Canadians to reject the appeal of Mr. Ed Broadbent for a ‘penny per Canadian’ to raise $250,000 for the International Centre for Human Rights in Montreal. “CLC Canada condemns the Centre’s plan to provide funds for pro-abortion propaganda in Poland, as announced in the Centre’s press [...]
“It is difficult to conclude that Nancy has good reason to shorten her life.” Kurt Gayle’s thoughtful letter together with a re-examination of the principles involved in such cases and further information about Nancy’s condition, has in face led me to a different conclusion from the one I reached before. People hold very strong opinions about whether or not suicide and euthanasia [...]
Editor: On January 6, 1992 Mr. Justice Jaques Dufour handed down his ruling in favour of Nancy B’s request to discontinue her respirator. The following is a summary of his conclusions. Judge Jaques Dufour “It would be nature taking its course.” Summary The plaintiff, Nancy B., is twenty-five years old. She suffers from a progressive motor paralysis caused by Guillain-Barré syndrome. She [...]
I know of the Vatican Declaration on Abortion. Is there one on euthanasia? L.P., Belleville, ON. The Declaration on Euthanasia was prepared by the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and published in May 1980. It is very short, but it is invaluable. I have used one paragraph to provide the answers to three questions from many people. (Editor: See [...]
This plea was broadcast on CBC’s “Metro Morning”, January 7, 1992. “Nancy B. has the right to die…I agree. But I don’t think that’s the issue. The debate is about dying, but Nancy is living with a severe physical disability…like me and hundreds of other Canadians. Nancy has been made into a pawn for all the people who are interested in the [...]
The case of Nancy B., a young Quebec woman of 24, exposed the confusion over euthanasia which exists among members of the legal and medical professions and the media. Nancy suffers from a rare neurological disease called Guillain-Barré syndrome, which is curable in most cases but not in hers. The brain and spinal cord remain intact, but the disease attacks the central [...]
• A Commons committee holds hearings on the Robert Wenman bill (intended to protect doctors who might have hastened the deaths of terminally ill patients); • The State of Washington holds a referendum on legalized euthanasia (it lost, but in a very close vote, 54 to 46 per cent); • Derek Humphrey’s suicide book Final Exit, is a bestseller. (A Montreal woman [...]
Conservative MP Robert Wenman told a Commons committee on November 5 is private members Bill C-203, would not legalize euthanasia or doctor assisted suicide. “Unnecessary and dangerous” Others disagree completely. Alliance for Life, the national umbrella for pro-life educational groups, appearing before the committee on October 29, stated in their position statement that it considers this legislation “unnecessary and dangerous.” “We presume [...]
On May 11, 1989, John Gauthier, 26, died of cancer in Ottawa’s Civic Hospital. Prior to that he had spent nearly three months in the palliative care unit of the Elizabeth Bruyére Health Centre. The Centre is named after a religious sister and is run by the Sisters of Charity. John’s parents, Roger and Irene Gauthier, are very upset. They charge that [...]
Articles on euthanasia refer to patients in a persistent vegetative state. What exactly does this mean? P.M., Winnipeg, Man. Dr. Fred Plum, who is said to be the creator of this term, gave this definition when he testified as an expert witness in the Jobes case. “Vegetative state describes a body which is functioning entirely in terms of its internal controls. It [...]