Liberals dance around assisted suicide vote

But justice minister's parliamentary secretary's email says his boss will not support Bill C-407

By DEBORAH GYAPONG
Canadian Catholic News
Ottawa

The Liberal government is sending mixed messages on how Justice Minister Irwin Cotler will vote on a controversial assisted suicide private member's bill.

On Oct. 17, Cotler's spokeswoman Mylene Dupere told CCN the minister would not indicate how he would vote until after the debate.

Oct. 31 first debate

The first hour of debate on Francine Lalonde's Bill C-407 is scheduled for Oct. 31.

Dupere insisted this was Cotler's position despite the fact that his parliamentary secretary, Paul Macklin, sent an Oct. 13 email to all Liberal MPs and assistants, attaching the justice department position paper on Bill C-407.

According to the position paper: "The minister of justice will not be supporting this bill."

In the email, Macklin wrote "There has been increased reporting by media lately on the subject matter of euthanasia and assisted suicide - due in part to Francine Lalonde's private member's bill, C-407, and in part to some cases before the courts."

After the email and position paper were leaked to the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC), EPC executive director Alex Schadenberg claimed victory for anti-euthanasia forces, pointing out that some of Cotler's arguments against the bill were similar to those of the coalition.

But he warned the fight is far from over.

"We should remain concerned because the minister of justice does not state that they do not support a future bill to legalize euthanasia or assisted suicide, he only says that he doesn't support Bill C-407," he said in an Oct. 13 email to the coalition's electronic mailing list.

"Nonetheless we must take our little victories where ever they are found and continue to persevere," he wrote.

"The cultural forces that lead to euthanasia continue to exist in our society and people with disabilities, the frail elderly, and the chronically ill continue to be devalued to the point where we all need to be concerned."

The justice department's position paper recognizes the controversial nature of the bill and the fact that it "touches upon such profound issues as life and death, which for many involves religious beliefs."

Far-reaching implications

The paper also recognizes the "far-reaching implications in the manner in which it alters the current state of the law and in the way it will impact on medical ethics and practice."

"While many Canadians may not disapprove of permitting those who suffer from severe physical pain with no prospect of relief to access assistance in dying, few would tolerate the idea of allowing those who suffer from severe mental pain with no prospect of relief to have the same access to assisted death," the paper says.

It points out that "mental pain" is not defined and therefore chronic depression might qualify.

Beware the slippery slope

"In order to guard against the potential to move towards what is often described as the 'slippery slope' in facilitating the unwanted death of elderly, physically or mentally vulnerable persons, a very stringent regime would have to be introduced, and Bill C-407 falls short of accomplishing this," the paper says.

In an Oct. 14 email brief Schadenberg wrote, "It seems clear from the memorandum that Mr. Cotler would be interested in a more comprehensively drafted bill legalizing assisted suicide - one that takes into consideration the issues he raises."

"We need to continue to convince members of Parliament that . . . the only effective safeguard to protect vulnerable Canadians is keeping euthanasia and assisted suicide a crime, while providing excellent hospice/palliative care and support for all Canadians," Schadenberg said.

A second hour of debate is scheduled for early December.

At least two hours of debate are needed before a vote that could send the bill to committee.

Conservative Party Justice Critic Vic Toews and NDP Justice Critic Joe Comartin have both indicated they will not support the bill.

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