Petition to: The Right Honourable Stephen Harper
Protect Canadians from Assisted Suicide
Protect Canadians from Assisted Suicide
In an arrogant display of judicial activism, Canada’s Supreme Court has, legalized assisted suicide.
In its Carter judgment, rendered on 6 February, the Supreme Court swept aside Federal laws and legal precedent which served to protect people with disabilities, the elderly, and other people, and which also served to ensure that a doctor’s oath – to do no harm – could be upheld.
By eliminating constitutional protections against assisted suicide, the Canadian Supreme Court has effectively pulverized the meaning of “duty of care,” which a doctor owes to his or her patient.
One bioethicist at McGill University in Montreal, Margaret Somerville, described it thus: “Canada has fallen over the edge of the abyss in legalizing the intentional infliction of death on our most vulnerable citizens — those who are old, frail, disabled, depressed, mentally, physically, or terminally ill…”
To make matters worse, the assurances given by the Court that doctors will not have to participate in assisted suicide on grounds of conscientious objection are weak at best, as they leave the harmonization of patients’ rights and doctors’ rights to the future.
And, as shocking as it sounds, the Court allowed it without a restiction to terminal illness, and for psychological suffering.
In situations reminiscent of abuses in Belgium and the Netherlands, we could see suffering teenagers asking for assisted-suicide because the Supreme Court has not defined the meaning of “adult” in this case.
Fortunately, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms gives authority to the Canadian Parliament to reverse decisions of the Supreme Court. In Section 33 of the Charter, the “notwithstanding clause”, leaves ultimate decision-making power in the hands of Parliament.
Not only is Parliament within its rights to countermand this lethal decision, MPs are actually duty-bound to protect the most vulnerable, and to vindicate the lives and dignity of the human person.
We call on the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the House, and Minister of Justice to insist that this foul and dangerous judgment be immediately overturned by use of their parliamentary powers.
Canada should be known for its welcoming hospitality, friendly people, and beautiful landscape, not for assisted suicide.
Please sign our petition to press Canada’s MPs into action on this matter. It's urgent! Please sign today.
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Petition to: The Right Honourable Stephen Harper
For the Attention of the Right Hon. Stephen Harper, PM, Speaker Scheer, and Minister of Justice Hon. Peter MacKay:
Dear Sirs,
Canada's Supreme Court has just legalized assisted suicide. Their ruling goes against legal precedent, Federal law, and the will of Parliament.
And, more importantly, their ruling goes against the lives and dignity of vulnerable Canadians. It also puts doctors - whose first duty is to do no harm - in a hostile situation, setting up potential future clashes over doctor vs patient rights.
Fortunately, it is within your powers, as enunciated in Section 33 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms - under the "notwithstanding clause" - to override bad decisions made by the Supreme Court.
This is one such instance where this clause should be invoked by Parliament. And, as such, I call on you to use your influence to bring this matter to a vote before all MPs.
Canada should be known for its welcoming hospitality, for our friendly people and for our beautiful landscape, not assisted suicide.
Thank you for your urgent attention to this pressing issue.
Petition to: The Right Honourable Stephen Harper
For the Attention of the Right Hon. Stephen Harper, PM, Speaker Scheer, and Minister of Justice Hon. Peter MacKay:
Dear Sirs,
Canada's Supreme Court has just legalized assisted suicide. Their ruling goes against legal precedent, Federal law, and the will of Parliament.
And, more importantly, their ruling goes against the lives and dignity of vulnerable Canadians. It also puts doctors - whose first duty is to do no harm - in a hostile situation, setting up potential future clashes over doctor vs patient rights.
Fortunately, it is within your powers, as enunciated in Section 33 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms - under the "notwithstanding clause" - to override bad decisions made by the Supreme Court.
This is one such instance where this clause should be invoked by Parliament. And, as such, I call on you to use your influence to bring this matter to a vote before all MPs.
Canada should be known for its welcoming hospitality, for our friendly people and for our beautiful landscape, not assisted suicide.
Thank you for your urgent attention to this pressing issue.
