Saturday, April 16, 2016

Citizen Only Suicide

From the BBC:
"Canada moves to rule out suicide tourism"
 
An assisted suicide bill has been put before Canada's Parliament that legalises euthanasia but will exclude foreigners from coming to die. People with mental illness and psychiatric disorders are excluded too. Last year, the Canadian Supreme Court struck down a law banning doctors from helping someone die. This bill, which is backed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, must now be studied by committee and then voted on by both House and Senate. It seeks to protect "the conscience rights of medical practitioners", said Canadian Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould.  Asked why foreigners would be excluded from the new legislation, she refused to answer. "We have considered this question in the context of Canada and Canadians," she said at a press conference. The court said outlawing assisted suicide deprives people of dignity and autonomy. Prior to that, counselling, aiding or abetting suicide was illegal in Canada. The Liberal government had four months to come up with a new law, a time period that was extended.  Last year Quebec's top court ruled that the province can allow terminally ill patients the right to die with medical help. Currently, assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland, Germany, Albania, Colombia, Japan and in US states Washington, California , Oregon, Vermont, New Mexico and Montana.
 

^ I agree that Canada should allow for doctor-assisted suicide and that it should only be for Canadians. As far as I understand there are no countries or US states  that allow non-residents/citizens to participate in doctor-assisted suicide. People who have a terminal illness should have a right to die on their own terms and with dignity and limiting it only to citizens is just one of the numerous safer-guards that need to be in place to make sure the government, doctors and ordinary people do not abuse this well-meaning law. ^


http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-36047743

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