Dear Friends,
In September, the Superior Court of Quebec determined in Truchon v Canada that one of our legislative safeguards for euthanasia was unconstitutional.
That safeguard, which is that death must be “reasonably foreseeable”, was put in place to ensure that vulnerable Canadians such as seniors or those with mental illnesses like depression would not be pressured into assisted suicide.
The Court’s ruling only applied in Quebec. Despite this, Prime Minister Trudeau announced that the Liberals would be expanding legislation to match the Provincial Court’s ruling at the federal level.
The Liberals had previously promised that no changes would be made to the assisted suicide law before the mandatory review which is set to take place in June of this year. By making these legislative changes before a review is completed, the Liberals are creating laws without knowing the impact they will have on vulnerable Canadians.
What is equally concerning is that the same Liberal government that fought our veterans all the way to the Supreme Court, refused to appeal the Truchon decision. Instead, they simply accepted the lower Court’s decision to strike down this important safeguard.
My priority, and the priority of our Conservative caucus, is to ensure that Canada’s euthanasia legislation includes safeguards for the most vulnerable in our society, as well as for the conscience rights of physicians and health professionals.
By refusing to do everything possible to protect this safeguard, I believe Trudeau is sending a message that vulnerable Canadians do not deserve every legal protection possible.
The Government is currently seeking public input on the proposed changes to the law. You have the chance to stand up and make your voice heard by completing this survey from the Department of Justice:
I hope this information has been of interest to you.
Have a great weekend!
Sincerely,
Kelly Block, MP