By David Furness
After two tours in Afghanistan, he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Seeking help from a government agency, he was offered initial treatment, which unfortunately was unsuccessful. Instead of exploring further medical options, a government official suggested something unimaginable—medically-assisted suicide. Baltzer said, “I was at my lowest point just before Christmas.” Shockingly, reports suggest that other war veterans in various parts of Canada have received similar advice regarding suicide.
Canada has some of the most lenient assisted suicide programs in the world. According to official data, there are over 13,500 state-sanctioned assisted suicides each year. Canadian politicians are eager to expand access to assisted suicide to include children and individuals with mental health issues.
These troubling incidents highlight the dangers of assisted suicide laws, especially as Britain seems keen to adopt Canada’s overly permissive approach toward this issue.
Recently, the Scottish Parliament narrowly voted in favour of the McArthur Assisted Suicide Bill, a decision that could set a dangerous precedent. Meanwhile, the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill for England and Wales is nearing its final vote, a potential turning point in the UK’s approach to assisted suicide.
State-sanctioned suicide programs are inherently appalling. Any government official who tells a person to consider suicide because they ‘will be better off’ is essentially making a death suggestion.
Governments do not like the phrase state-assisted suicide so they use the word euthanasia. The dictionary definition of euthanasia is:
The act or practice of ending the life of someone who is very sick or injured to prevent any more suffering.
There was a time when euthanasia might be considered for a person who was very physically ill and was dying. However, it appears that governments are changing this to include those with post-traumatic stress disorder or depression. Politicians may believe that encouraging people to commit suicide would be a good way to save money on health care.
The next step will be politicians urging people to consider suicide as a cure for poverty and homelessness.
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (otherwise known as the Leadbetter Bill or the Assisted Dying Bill) is currently going through Parliament. The Bill’s committee stage saw 150 amendments.
Pro-change campaigners from Dignity in Dying support assisted dying, believing terminally ill individuals should have the right to control their death when suffering becomes unbearable. They advocate for choice in the timing and manner of death alongside quality care.
In contrast, Care Not Killing favours terms like ‘assisted suicide’, emphasising the need for improved palliative care instead of changing assisted dying laws. They argue that legalising assisted dying could pressure vulnerable individuals, including the disabled, elderly, and depressed, to end their lives out of fear of being a burden.
Supporters of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill say that safeguards will be in place to stop coercion or pressure. However, even the Law Society has serious concerns. They say that ‘Pressure’ should be clearly defined for the safeguards to be effective.
There are many problems with these assisted dying bills. Pressure on the vulnerable is a very significant concern. I was not surprised to learn that a Labour MP, Kim Leadbetter, sponsored the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.
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