In Brazil a doctor may have killed over 300 patients because she wanted to free up beds, she said,”the patients were taking too long to die.” She even recruited a team of helpers. Doctors killing patients is actually happening more in countries where euthanasia is allowed. Now Canada is about to open the door to doctor assisted suicide as well, and under their present Bill C-14 the way it is written is so ambiguous, even their own member of parliament Garnet Genuis said, “without amendments this bill will protect no one!”
Belgium has passed a bill that allows children to be euthanized, against many pediatricians angry protests. Children are suggestible, and there are concerns by doctors they will be pressured into ending their lives. Canada is now about to open Pandora’s box with a Bill that will allow euthanasia in it’s country. The safeguards in their Bill are so low they are alarming, and the Bill even guarantees immunity from prosecution for anyone who participates in the killing. “It is a guaranteed recipe for elder abuse, that cannot be controlled,” states Lawyer Margaret Dore founder of the Organization Choice is an illusion!
Belgium has now extended euthanasia to include killing the depressed, elderly, disabled, even the imprisoned. One lady in Beligum was euthanized because, she was grieving the loss of a family member, and she was perfectly healthy! When someone is in the state of Depression their decision making, and outlook on life is different from when they recover. During the time they are vulnerable they should be protected not killed! Depression can lift, or be treated, but euthanasia is irreversible!
One case I witnesses was a 94 year old grandmother who was told by doctors she was dying, and she was being made comfortable in palliative care. Her family started spoon feeding her , and she did a complete turn around. She is still alive 4 years later, is living with a good quality of life, and happy to be alive. If she had lived in Belgium she most likely would not be here today! We never fully know how long someone has to live, and we should not rob them of whatever time they have.
A study done In Belgium revealed 66 people out of 208 were euthanized without giving consent, or requesting it. In the Netherlands 1 in every 5 is euthanized without consent or request.(1)
The United Nations has said they are very concerned about Human Rights violations, because the patient may not have been given proper informed consent, or fully understand, and be euthanized against their wishes. It is hard to police, and it has been happening! Incidences of abused euthanasia are murder! These cases are becoming more common in Belgium and the Netherlands. An example of this is one physician walked into a patient’s room, didn’t even think twice, and euthanized a woman against her will, and against her own doctor’s orders! When Dr Zylicz angrily asked his colleague, “why did you kill my patient?” His reply was, “she would have taken too long to die, and I wanted the bed.” She was resting pain free, surrounded by her family, and it was estimated she had days, even up to a week before she would die. If I have a few days left of my life I want them! Who knows what can happen in that time.
Once Euthanasia gets into a society, regulating it fully with safeguards, and controls, is an illusion, that has already completely been proven impossible! It is naive to think it can be totally controlled. When the decision of life, or death is left up to another person’s judgement, it is open to mistakes, and all people are fallible!
It becomes an easily abused licence to kill in the hands of the unscrupulous,
and there are always unscrupulous people out there, with no value for human life. The legal systems in those countries are increasingly also turning a blind eye on prosecuting physicians that are killing people against their will. Another alarming thought is some doctors have said they are becoming desensitized to killing their patients. Stating the first time it was very hard to kill, then it got easier, and easier to just execute.
So what is the solution? Good ethical palliative care!
A good palliative care program that does not sneakily euthanize, can make a huge difference in care. The argument of “they are suffering, it’s humane,” just does not apply fully at all. I have interviewed Oncology Pain Management nurses who specifically work on pain management, they stated, “98% of pain can be managed with the right medications, and properly trained professionals, thus improving quality of life. When good palliative care is available the request for euthanasia drops.” I have witnessed people pass away this way and it is with dignity. People can make that death transition a lot easier for both the patient, and their family. They can live until the time they are supposed to naturally die, not when someone decides they are a burden, and makes the decision for them out of convenience.
What is going on in Belgium, Netherlands, and Brazil is a lesson we should be learning from here in North America, and not making the same mistakes. In Canada the slippery slope has already started because the Bill hasn’t been finished, and groups are lobbying to include children, the mentally ill, and other vulnerable people. Then healthy people will be encouraged to throw away decades of their lives.
If CHOICE, and RIGHTS, are the main reason why this is being debated, what about the RIGHTS, and CHOICE, of the victims who this may be done to against their will! By legalizing this we are opening up the door to the violating of HUMAN RIGHTS and CHOICE. In summary doctor assisted suicide, and euthanasia cannot be fully controlled safeguards do not work it’s already been proven, this needs to be banned! Canadians can contact their MP’s and members of the Senate and urge them to strike down this dangerous Bill.
REF: Study Ref[1]
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