Campaigns against Physician-Assisted Suicide
Friday, April 22 20165 CAMPAIGNS ON PHYSICIAN-ASSISTED SUICIDE
1. The Respect for Conscience bilingual campaign involves a proposal on how to respect the conscience rights of doctors and health-care facilities when faced with the situation of a patient requesting assisted suicide. The project is an initiative of the Coalition for HealthCARE and Conscience. Involving the Archdiocese of Toronto, the Christian Medical and Dental Society of Canada, the Catholic Organization for Life and Family, the Canadian Federation of Catholic Physicians’ Societies, the Canadian Catholic Bioethics Institute, and Canadian Physicians for Life, it represents 5000 physicians and 110 healthcare facilities with 18,000 care beds and 60,000 staff. Concerned Canadians can indicate their support, as well as write to the appropriate officials in each province or territory with respect to its plans to protect the conscience rights of health-care workers and facilities. http://www.canadiansforconscience.ca/
2. Life-giving Love is a bilingual information campaign for palliative care, and against euthanasia and assisted suicide. It was launched by the Catholic Organization for Life and Family in cooperation with the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. http://www.lifegivinglove.com/
3. Religious leaders of Canadian Catholics, Orthodox, Evangelical Christians, Jews, Muslims and Mormons have issued a bilingual joint Declaration on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide. Over 20,000 Canadians have signed, urging federal, provincial and territorial legislators to enact and uphold laws to make good-quality home care and palliative care accessible, and to implement regulations and policies that ensure respect for the freedom of conscience of all health-care workers and administrators who will not and cannot accept suicide or euthanasia as a medical solution to pain and suffering. http://www.euthanasiadeclaration.ca/
4. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Vancouver has launched a campaign to protect and safeguard freedom of conscience and religion for health-care workers. It includes a petition to the House of Commons for a national strategy on palliative care, as well as a postcard to the Minister of Justice. http://rcav.org/assisted-suicide/
5. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton is sponsoring a campaign to promote the true dignity of life and death. Every Life Matters includes a website with a video to help parishes and ordinary Catholics understand the issues involved, and provides a list of practical suggestions on how to choose life. http://www.commitlife.com/
The above campaigns are promoted by Canadian Catholic Bishops. Each campaign provides background information on euthanasia and assisted suicide. The following also are excellent sources of information on physician-assisted suicide:
Your own diocese/eparchy or parish
The Catholic Organization for Life and Family
http://www.colf.ca/index.php/en/life-issues/euthanasia-and-assisted-suicide
http://www.colf.ca/index.php/fr/la-vie/euthanasie-et-suicide-assiste
Living with Dignity
http://vivredignite.org/en/
http://vivredignite.org/
Physicians’ Alliance Against Euthanasia
http://collectifmedecins.org/en/
http://collectifmedecins.org/
Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
http://www.epcc.ca/