The Quebec National Assembly Passes Bill to Legalize Euthanasia

Canada is one of the countries in the world where fierce battles are taking place over the legalization of doctor-prescribed suicide and euthanasia.  Within Canada, the strongest push to legalize has come from Quebec.  After many attempts, the Quebec National Assembly recently passed Bill 52 which legalizes euthanasia.

The bill accomplished legalization by defining euthanasia as “end of life care.”   “Let’s be clear, Bill 52 gives Quebec physicians the right to intentionally and directly cause the death of persons by lethal injection.  This represents an act of homicide and not an act of ‘end of life care,’” stated Alex Schadenberg of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC).  According to Schadenberg, there are provisions in Bill 52 which are vague and open to abuse of patients.  People with disabilities and palliative care leaders opposed Bill 52.

EPC and other organizations are now turning to the courts with a plan to challenge the law and ask that it be declared unconstitutional.