Showing posts with label Assisted Suicide. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Assisted Suicide. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

End of Life Choice Act Allows Nonvoluntary Death

Justice Mallon

By Margaret Dore, Esq., MBA* 

On June 16, 2020, Justice Jillian Mallon issued a judgment describing the End of Life Choice Act as limited to voluntary euthanasia and/or physician-assisted suicide. (Judgment, page 1). 

The Acthowever, also allows non-voluntary death. One reason is that assisted dying (euthanasia and assisted suicide) is described as being performed by a "medical practitioner." 

In practice, medical practitioners are allowed to provide medical treatment on a non-voluntary basis. For a common example, consider automobile accidents. Medical practitioners are allowed to treat accident victims on a non-voluntary basis if circumstances are determined to warrant such action. If the patient is unconscious and unable to give consent, medical treatment determined necessary by medical practitioners is nonetheless allowed to go forward.

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Dore Memo to Justice Committee: Reject End of Life Choice Bill

Margaret Dore, Esq.
Click here to view a pdf version, including supporting documentation.

I.  INTRODUCTION

I am president of Choice is an Illusion, a nonprofit corporation opposed to assisted suicide and euthanasia.[1] I am also an attorney in Washington State USA where these practices are legal.[2] Our law is based on a similar law in Oregon.[3]

My background includes providing legal analysis and/or testimony against assisted suicide and euthanasia, in 22 US states, South Africa and Australia. I have participated in public debates as well as public interest litigation.

The “End of Life Choice Bill” seeks to legalize assisted dying, which means assisted suicide and euthanasia.[4] If enacted, the bill will apply to people with years or decades to live, and provide cover for murder. I urge you to recommend to Parliament to reject this bill.

Friday, November 23, 2018

Rosemary McLeod: From Scammers to Euthanasia Advocates, These Are Dark Days in Old Ladydom

To view original article, click here

OPINION: These are perilous times for tottering toward old ladydom. The women's mags cut your life support at 50 unless you're Helen Mirren, sooner if you're not, in which case you might as well sign up for the Philip Nitschke death machine, with optional funeral casket.

Sunday, May 20, 2018

New Zealand Euthanasia Bill Delayed by Mass Replies

Raymond Huo, MP
An unprecedented surge in public submissions has seen a bill legalising voluntary [and non-voluntary] euthanasia in New Zealand pushed back until next year.

SBS News - An unprecedented outpouring of feedback about a bill legalising euthanasia in New Zealand has seen a potential law change delayed.

The parliamentary committee considering the controversial End of Life Change Bill - which would give people with "a terminal illness or a grievous and irremediable medical condition" the option of assisted dying - has received more than 35,000 submissions already.

Friday, January 5, 2018

Euthanasia Bill Renders Users Sitting Ducks to Their Heirs and Other Predators

Debating Chamber
New Zealand's bill seeking to legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia has passed first reading.[1]

The bill's explanatory note claims that patients will be protected by a "comprehensive set of provisions to ensure free choice, made without coercion." In fact, patients who die under the bill will not even be protected against predators who willfully fail to follow the touted provisions.

The bill, paragraph 27(1)(a), provides an offence for a person who "willfully fails to comply with a requirement in this Act." The bill, however, also provides that a person who dies as a result of assisted suicide or euthanasia "is taken for all purposes" as if the person had not died via the Act. The bill, paragraph 25, states:
A person who dies as a result of the provision of assisted dying [assisted suicide and euthanasia] is taken for all purposes to have died as if assisted dying had not been provided.
If legally, assisted dying had not been provided under the Act, then how can the offence in paragraph 27, "willfully fail[ing] to comply with a requirement of the Act," be enforced? The two provisions read together create an oxymoron. The offence in paragraph 27 is thereby rendered unenforceable.

More to the point, with the lack of enforceability, patients will be rendered sitting ducks to their heirs and other predators seeking to benefit from their deaths.

Margaret Dore, Esq., MBA
Choice is an Illusion, a nonprofit corporation
www.choiceillusion.org
www.margaretdore.org
1001 4th Avenue, Suite 4400
Seattle WA USA 98154
206 697 1217

Footnote

[1]  "Euthanasia bill passes first reading in Parliament," NZ Herald, 13 Dec, 2017.