Here's an editorial from The Vancouver Sun about the new laws on "doctor-assisted suicide" or euthanasia. This editorial gives the newspaper's opinion about this controversial topic.
I have changed some wording in order to make this easier to read for LINC 7 students:
Federal Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould was
right to be cautious over last week’s report from the parliamentary
committee studying physician-assisted suicide. The group offers the
broadest possible interpretation of when assisted dying should be
legally permitted, while offering little guidance on how to confront some
of the tougher dilemmas involved. Not surprisingly, on one
of the deepest moral questions of our time, the committee of MPs and
senators did not reach complete agreement. But that didn’t stop the majority from
providing 21 recommendations.
As hoped, it laid out safeguards to ensure that any person who requests assisted death gives their clear consent. This will work for mentally competent adults. But there is the question of under-18s (minors). The committee heard that “suffering is suffering regardless of age.” It asked whether a “mature minor" (someone younger than 18 but mature in attitude and behavior) could make a life-ending decision about herself. It then recommended a two-stage legislative process in which only adults could consent to their own deaths, but there would be more study of the “moral, medical and legal issues” around minors.
The fact that we are discussing non-adults at all so early in the new world of assisted death is worrisome.
By also including the mentally ill among those who may request an assisted death, the committee stumbles further into an unclear moral area.
As hoped, it laid out safeguards to ensure that any person who requests assisted death gives their clear consent. This will work for mentally competent adults. But there is the question of under-18s (minors). The committee heard that “suffering is suffering regardless of age.” It asked whether a “mature minor" (someone younger than 18 but mature in attitude and behavior) could make a life-ending decision about herself. It then recommended a two-stage legislative process in which only adults could consent to their own deaths, but there would be more study of the “moral, medical and legal issues” around minors.
The fact that we are discussing non-adults at all so early in the new world of assisted death is worrisome.
By also including the mentally ill among those who may request an assisted death, the committee stumbles further into an unclear moral area.
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