Under pressure from Opposition

The
Quebec government has agreed to reopen the euthanasia debate. It
plans to organise travelling consultations about assisted suicide
after consulting about 20 experts. It will also prepare a discussion
paper to guide the discussions. “I don’t think there’s any risk
in launching a reflection,” Health Minister Yves Bolduc says.
“It’s a complex question and opinions are divided, but I think
there’s a consensus and that is that everyone would want to die with
dignity and want their loved ones to die with dignity. Now we need to
consider ways to make that happen and help improve people’s
situation.”

The
government is responding to a demand by the opposition Parti
Quebecois for a public consultation. “People are suffering.
Doctors want guidelines,” says PQ member Bernard Drainville.
“We need to give ourselves a framework. People are asking for
it, it’s a human issue, a moral issue.” The PQ claims that it is
responding to surveys showing that medical specialists (which does
not include general practitioners) favour reopening the debate. ~
Canadian Press, Dec 6

Michael Cook
assisted suicide
euthanasia
Quebec