It is apparent that the debate over doctor-assisted suicide for the terminally ill is going to re-open in Canada. The Sun newspaper in Edmonton just reported as follows:
A private member’s bill from Bloc Quebecois MP Francine Lalonde had thrust the controversial issue onto the parliamentary agenda, but the federal election temporarily swept it off the table. Armed with the backing of many MPs who believe the time has come to legalize assisted suicide in Canada, she is now determined to put it back on.
“Having seen what’s happening in other countries, it’s important to have the debate, a large debate among the population,” said Lalonde, who just returned from a trip to Belgium, where assisted suicide has been legal for about three years.
Based on expert legal advice from Canada and abroad, Lalonde intends to make some changes to her bill and hopes the fine-tuning will satisfy concerns that were raised by other MPs. She said the critical issue has been left drifting for too long in Canada – partly because of scant international precedents, but mostly due to a lack of political courage.
