In February, the Supreme Court threw out Canada’s Criminal Code prohibition on euthanasia and assisted-suicide and told Parliament it had one year to come up with a new law. If a new law were not written in that time, euthanasia, like abortion, would be legally tolerated, and probably left to be regulated by the provinces.
As noted in our election coverage, Campaign Life Coalition rates 41 MPs as pro-life – or about one in eight members of the House of Commons. No doubt, they are joined by others who oppose or are skeptical of euthanasia. Assuming Prime Minister Justin Trudeau introduces a euthanasia law we call on all pro-lifers and other euthanasia opponents to take a principled stand and vote against the law.
There are no regulations or restrictions that can make euthanasia and assisted-suicide licit. There are no safeguards that can be enacted that effectively protect the vulnerable. There is no need to be “pragmatic” and compromise with the evil of euthanasia by offering amendments to make it slightly less problematic. In all likelihood, a euthanasia law would pass with 200 or more votes in Parliament as currently constituted, so standing on principle in defense of human life sends a strong signal to their parliamentary colleagues and to history that there is, indeed, opposition to the barbaric practice of medicalized murder.
The logic of political compromise can only make sense where there is a possibility of victory (although we would still oppose any law but an outright ban), but for those who subscribe to political pragmatism, in this case it is entirely unnecessary and completely futile. We urge our pro-life allies in Parliament to make what might be their only possible chance to stand up for life in the 42nd Parliament and vote against any law permitting euthanasia and assisted-suicide.
