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Quebec passes 'dying with dignity' bill - Montreal - CBC News
While I'm all in favor of the idea behind it, I have some reservations about the way it will be implemented. Will doctors be forced to comply with this law? What happens when they refuse to grant services? My daughter had dual citizenship (Canadian and American) and I'm well acquainted with some of Canada's more questionable healthcare laws. I think in practice this is a viable option for people who are non-religious and facing terminal illnesses and don't want to suffer. However, there are too many questions left open.
A committee on dying with dignity was assembled during Jean Charest's tenure as Quebec premier to study the issue and produce a report.
Its massive report, filed in March 2012, provided the foundation for Bill 52.
However, Liberal Leader Philippe Couillard refused to play ball with the PQ when the party tried to force the bill into passage right before calling an election. Bill 52 died on the order paper as a result.
During the 2014 Quebec election campaign, Couillard promised to reintroduce the bill as it was drafted at the earliest possible moment during the new parliamentary session.
He also got the support from all four parties to reintroduce the bill at the stage it had died, instead of starting from square one.
While I'm all in favor of the idea behind it, I have some reservations about the way it will be implemented. Will doctors be forced to comply with this law? What happens when they refuse to grant services? My daughter had dual citizenship (Canadian and American) and I'm well acquainted with some of Canada's more questionable healthcare laws. I think in practice this is a viable option for people who are non-religious and facing terminal illnesses and don't want to suffer. However, there are too many questions left open.