Canada’s euthanasia horror stories should be enough to stop the UK’s ‘assisted dying’ bill

(LifeSiteNews) — There is still hope that Canada’s role as canary in the coal mine might yet stop the legalization of euthanasia in the UK—especially because the conveyer belt of stories seems to be endless.  

On October 29, for example, CTV published a report titled “B.C. judge halts woman’s medically assisted death.” Canada is now the sort of country where a desperate husband must beg the courts to block his 53-year-old wife’s impending lethal injection—and he is fortunate that he found a judge willing to side with him.  

The injunction was issued the day before the woman was scheduled to die at the hands of Ellen Wiebe, the abortionist and euthanasia practitioner who has already killed hundreds of adult Canadians, a work that she frequently raves about as fulfilling. Justice Simon R. Coval ruled that Wiebe negligently approved a patient who did not qualify for euthanasia, stating:  

If the defendants proceed with MAID, the death will constitute a battery of (the patient), wrongful death and, potentially a criminal offence. It is within the inherent jurisdiction of this honourable court to enjoin allegedly criminal conduct, in this case the termination of a patient’s life where it appears that legislative criteria has not been met, and/or the protection of a patient from injury. 

The middle-aged woman does not have a terminal condition and suffers from mental illness. The physicians treating her were strongly opposed to euthanasia and stated that her symptoms could resolve themselves after months of treatment. The woman, however, went to BC to find a doctor who would sign off on her death—and, unsurprisingly, met with Dr. Ellen Wiebe. As the notice of claim stated: “In this case, (the woman) is actively pursuing death, over the objections of the physicians who actively treat her. She has come to B.C. because she was able to find someone in B.C. who would approve.”  

READ: Canadian grandmother repeatedly offered euthanasia while undergoing cancer treatment

The Trudeau government, it turns out, doesn’t particular care about legal restrictions on killing patients. Contrary to federal law, as of October 30, the province of Quebec officially permits “advanced requests” for euthanasia, meaning that patients with dementia or other conditions can give advance consent to be killed. Thus, patients incapable of giving consent to be killed in the moment can still be killed because they filled out a form months—or even years—earlier. In the Netherlands, this has resulted in nightmare scenarios such as an elderly woman with dementia—but living happily in a nursing home—being held down by her family as a doctor killed her via lethal injection. 

It must be emphasized here: Euthanasia done under advance request is still classified as murder under the Criminal Code of Canada. Quebec has simply announced that it will be permitting such killings to proceed, anyway. The Trudeau government’s response? They have stated that they will not only not interfere but will hold roundtables to discuss bringing Quebec’s new policy to the rest of the country as well. All the so-called “safeguards” in the original legislation are virtually gone. The Trudeau government, as usual, is letting Quebec get away with murder—this time literally. One Alzheimer’s patient has already spoken to the media about her plans to utilize advanced request. 

RELATED: Quebec set to take euthanasia requests in advance, violating federal law

Michael Cooper, an MP from Alberta, has written an op-ed titled “Poor, depressed or lonely in Canada? Why not let us kill you” in the UK Telegraph warning legislators against legalizing euthanasia. “This is the very antithesis of what is compassionate and humane,” Cooper wrote. “For governments around the world considering assisted dying, it is a lesson on what not to do.” Some appear to be heeding this message. Sir Ed Davey, leader of the British Liberal Democrats, told reporters yesterday that he is ready to vote against the “assisted dying” bill, recalling caring for his mother when she had bone cancer and noting that he is concerned about elderly people feeling that they are a burden. 

David Smith, the Labour MP for North Northumberland, published an open letter on October 28 expressing similar concerns. “I believe there is no legislation on this issue that can provide safeguards sufficient to stop unjust, unnecessary, and premature deaths,” he wrote. He then specifically cited Canada as an example of what could come to the UK if euthanasia is legalized. That is why it is so important to tell these stories.