CCBI News – Objections to MAiD Amendemnts; Bypass of Safeguards; Palliative Care—More Information; Letter to the Elderly: John Paul II

May 13, 2022

Dear Friends of CCBI,

Extra time for Sending Objections to ‘MAiD’ Amendments

The Canadian bishops (CCCB) have submitted an excellent brief to the Parliamentary Committee reviewing amendments to MAiD legislation. Last week we urged readers to submit their thoughts, no matter how brief, to this website by May 9: Submit a Brief (parl.gc.ca) Submission time has been extended, so please, if you have not been able to write a brief, you still have the opportunity to do so. If you don’t usually submit anything of this nature, please see last week’s statement where we advised:

“Your statement does not have to be incredibly learned. Simply tell the committee from the heart that you believe in dying naturally; that the proposed procedures compromise human dignity as well as legal principles of consent; that you value life to the end; that end of life has meaning; that pain control is available; that the elderly and vulnerable are at risk; that the elderly and /or those with disabilities or mental health issues should be helped to live rather than be helped to die…and so on. At least in sending such a statement you are letting Parliament know that many people believe that compassion and human dignity mean helping people to die well, not helping people to die. A vast difference!”

You may also refer to the CCCB’s submission for information and wording, referencing your use.

Examples of Access to ‘MAiD’ Bypassing Safeguards

The move towards ‘choice’ in accessing euthanasia procedures while disregarding purported safeguards is already happening. Two recent reports indicate the relative ease with which access to ‘MAiD’ has been allowed. Shockingly,  a woman who found that her living conditions endangered her health was allowed to be euthanized when appropriate housing could not be found, at any rate over the short term. She had chemical sensitivities which rendered her current and previous living quarters toxic to her body, and apparently not one safe residence could be found by social agencies. She applied for doctor-assisted death and was allowed it. It seems so sad, so unnecessary. I remembered the case of “the boy in the bubble” and wondered whether something of that nature could work for an adult. Young David Vetter suffered from Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (SCID) and a way was devised to protect him from environmental danger. The youngster stayed alive for 12 years, with his surroundings modified in order to help him survive. This is, admittedly, a drastically problematic solution, but perhaps something of that nature could have been tried until the poor woman’s housing dilemma was resolved? After all, if euthanasia were still illegal, how would this problem have been addressed? It’s a disgraceful reflection on society that someone should find death preferable to life because of lack of housing. It will be just as sad if our society moves towards accepting such a reason for doctor-assisted death when solutions could perhaps have been found.

Palliative Care

In an article in The Globe and Mail this week, two prominent palliative care physicians remind us that Canadians are not given enough information about palliative care, saying that even in this day and age, “Many are not aware how palliative care can help relieve their pain or other symptoms to help them live well until they die…too many Canadians believe that a natural death is uncomfortable and undignified.” A perpetuation of the myth that all deaths entail a bitter struggle against pain and suffering is something that Catholic health care workers. pastoral workers and everyone accompanying the dying needs to quell. Another matter is, unfortunately, working against progress in promoting palliative care: “…many palliative care services have had to integrate MAID into their programs in order to continue to receive provincial or federal funding, even though they are fundamentally different. As a result, already scarce resources – including hospice and palliative care unit beds, as well as skilled nurses and doctors – have been diverted to support MAID services.” Granted there are scarce resources in healthcare, but to have precious resources diverted from palliative care because of a tendency to conflate MAiD and palliative care is a ‘double-whammy.’ Hence the need for advocates to insist that palliative care is not simply one choice on a spectrum of choices at end-of-life, but care that envelopes the whole person, helping him or her to live life to the very end of its natural cycle in as full a way as possible. I never tire of this statement by St John Paul II in his Letter to the Elderly: “Despite the limitations brought on by age, I continue to enjoy life. For this I thank the Lord. It is wonderful to be able to give oneself to the very end for the sake of the Kingdom of God!” Would that it could be so for all of us!

Sources:
AMAD – Statutory Review – Medical Assistance in Dying (parl.ca) 
NP View: The truly awful cost of Canada’s permissive doctor-assisted death program | National Post
The Story of David Vetter | Immune Deficiency Foundation (primaryimmune.org) – David Vetter, affectionately known as the boy in the bubble, was born with Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (SCID), one of the most severe types of primary immunodeficiency disease. At the time of his birth in 1971, a bone marrow transplant from an exact matched donor was the only cure for SCID, but there was no match available in David’s family.
Opinion: Assisted dying must not be confused for palliative care – The Globe and Mail
Letter to the Elderly (October 1, 1999) | John Paul II (vatican.va)

Pope Francis’ Intention for May

For Faith-filled Young People:
We pray for all young people, called to live life to the fullest; may they see in Mary’s life the way to listen, the depth of discernment, the courage that faith generates, and the dedication to service.

Moira and Bambi