(ZENIT News / Montreal, 05.21.2024).- Since Canada legalized euthanasia in 2016, initially restricted to terminally ill patients with a «reasonably foreseeable» death, the practice has steadily broadened its scope. Now available to individuals with disabilities and potentially soon for those with mental illnesses, the expansion has sparked both national and international concern. A parliamentary committee’s recommendation last year to allow minors to seek euthanasia without parental consent has intensified the debate.
This liberalization has drawn comparisons to the Nazi Aktion T4 program, which used euthanasia as a means of eliminating disabled and incurably ill individuals. Critics argue that rather than offering a liberating choice, Canada’s euthanasia policies divert resources away from palliative care, thereby limiting terminal patients’ options.
In a significant clash over these policies, Archbishop Christian Lépine of Montreal has taken a stand against Quebec’s Attorney General. Lépine has appealed to the Quebec Superior Court to halt the enforcement of a 2023 amendment to the End-of-Life Care Act. This amendment mandates that palliative care hospices must include Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) among their services.
Archbishop Lépine contends that the amendment infringes on religious freedom and conscience rights, arguing it effectively forces religious institutions to provide euthanasia against their moral beliefs. At the heart of this controversy is St. Raphael’s Palliative Care Home and Day Centre, a Catholic-run facility in Montreal, which is resisting becoming a euthanasia provider.
Lawyers representing the archdiocese warn that if the appeal fails, the Church may be compelled to withdraw from palliative care provision altogether, as euthanasia starkly contradicts Catholic doctrine on the sanctity of life. This scenario echoes situations in countries with longer-standing euthanasia laws, like the Netherlands and Belgium, where palliative care services have declined as euthanasia became more prevalent.
The Canadian experience mirrors patterns observed elsewhere, such as in Oregon, USA, where the introduction of euthanasia correlated with stagnant funding and provision for palliative care. Similarly, in the Netherlands and Belgium, the rise of euthanasia has overshadowed palliative care, leading to reduced investment and availability of these essential services.
Last year, around 14,000 Canadians died through euthanasia, accounting for 4.1% of all deaths in the country. In Quebec, this figure is even higher at 6.1%, making lethal injections the third most common cause of death. Critics argue that this environment has made euthanasia not only easily accessible but sometimes actively promoted, particularly for patients who feel they are a burden on society.
As Canada moves forward with further expansion of its euthanasia laws, the tension between religious rights and state legislation grows. Archbishop Lépine’s initiative aims not only to uphold Catholic principles but also to spark a crucial discussion on conscience rights in a society increasingly leaning towards the medicalization of death. This conflict could have far-reaching implications for the future of palliative care and religious freedom in Canada and beyond.
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