Wednesday, September 29, 2004
A sad case
Once again Canadians are mired in the moral quandary that is assisted suicide. A Montreal woman is charged with murder in the death of her son, who suffered from MS, and ended his own life a few days ago, with her help.
This is one of those difficult issues that probably requires legislation or legal precedent to regulate it, but is so intensely personal and intimate that it seems impossible and even wrong to step into it with police and judges and prison sentences.
The Latimer case in Western Canada a few years ago still remains with many who witnessed it in the news. A man killed his severely disabled daughter who lived in constant pain and was incapable of living what most people would qualify as a real life. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison. That case was not, strictly speaking, assisted suicide, since the daughter was too young to wish to do away with herself. Still, the sentence seems wrong to me, but I can't see any alternative in the present legal system. I remember that groups representing people with disabilities applauded the sentence, and I understand why: You can't open the door to allowing family members to kill those with disabilities or illnesses. Even in clear-cut assisted suicides, it is too difficult to determine beyond doubt that the death was, in fact, the wish of the dead person in every case. Was he coerced? Was he depressed, and were there alternatives that were not explored?
I believe that those who wish to die should be allowed to kill themselves. But when they involve family members doubts are bound to arise. Is there a solution? Perhaps doctor-assisted suicide would remove the question of personal motivation from the "assistant". If that were legal, counselling and alternative help could be presented to each sufferer before the end. Then at least we would know that death was the wish-fulfillment of the suffering person, and their devastated families wouldn't be further plagued with arrests, legal proceedings and jail terms.
Once again Canadians are mired in the moral quandary that is assisted suicide. A Montreal woman is charged with murder in the death of her son, who suffered from MS, and ended his own life a few days ago, with her help.
This is one of those difficult issues that probably requires legislation or legal precedent to regulate it, but is so intensely personal and intimate that it seems impossible and even wrong to step into it with police and judges and prison sentences.
The Latimer case in Western Canada a few years ago still remains with many who witnessed it in the news. A man killed his severely disabled daughter who lived in constant pain and was incapable of living what most people would qualify as a real life. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison. That case was not, strictly speaking, assisted suicide, since the daughter was too young to wish to do away with herself. Still, the sentence seems wrong to me, but I can't see any alternative in the present legal system. I remember that groups representing people with disabilities applauded the sentence, and I understand why: You can't open the door to allowing family members to kill those with disabilities or illnesses. Even in clear-cut assisted suicides, it is too difficult to determine beyond doubt that the death was, in fact, the wish of the dead person in every case. Was he coerced? Was he depressed, and were there alternatives that were not explored?
I believe that those who wish to die should be allowed to kill themselves. But when they involve family members doubts are bound to arise. Is there a solution? Perhaps doctor-assisted suicide would remove the question of personal motivation from the "assistant". If that were legal, counselling and alternative help could be presented to each sufferer before the end. Then at least we would know that death was the wish-fulfillment of the suffering person, and their devastated families wouldn't be further plagued with arrests, legal proceedings and jail terms.
# posted by becca : 7:27 AM
