By Kate Shumakova [1] and Michelle Poirier [2]
BELLEVILLE – Nothing can be more challenging than talking to someone about death.
Yet, QNetNews wants to do just that.
The Supreme Court of Canada [3] announced Canadians’ right to die as constitutional last month.
The nation’s contentious century-old law [4] against assisted suicide was struck down on Feb. 6 in a landmark 9-0 decision. The court’s ruling limits physician-assisted suicides to “a competent adult person who clearly consents to the termination of life and has a grievous and irremediable medical condition, including an illness, disease or disability, that causes enduring suffering that is intolerable to the individual in the circumstances of his or her condition.”
As part of the ruling doctors cannot be compelled to assist someone in suicide. However, if a doctor refuses to provide this assistance because of moral or religious reasons they are required to refer patients to another doctor, according to Dying with Dignity Canada [5].
QNetNews’ Kate Shumakova and Michelle Poirier will hold a live online discussion on whether this decision will affect the employees of Quinte Hospice [6] and what it means to them on March 12 at 6 p.m. Community Relations and Fund Development Coordinator of the Regional Hospice of Quinte, Rachel Pearsall, will join our conversation live.