Physician–Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia

Allison Lloyd

ENGL 111: Communications

Prof. McMann

April 1, 2010

Physician–Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia

Bernice Packford is 95 years old, in relatively good health and she wants the right to die. Bernice wrote to The Times expressing her desire to choose the time and place of her death and the need to change the criminal code to allow for physician-assisted suicide. Although Bernice is currently in relatively good health, she has already suffered one stroke and has congenital heart failure. She fears another stroke will leave her conscious but helpless and she does not want that. She wants to die with her family around her while she still has her dignity. Bernice has discussed her desire with her family, who all understand and support her decision. Bernice is a member of the Right to Die Network of Canada which is based out of Toronto.

Euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide are currently not legal in Canada, but suicide is legal. Should Canadians have the right to choose to die, be they terminally, physically or mentally ill? There are many people who believe in physician-assisted suicide and have joined groups such as the Right To Die Network who lobby government to legalize euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, and there are just as many others, such as religious organizations and Right to Life supporters that believe that humans do not have the right to chose where, when and how they will die.

Most people have experienced the joy of having a pet in their family. We love, groom, feed, play and walk them. Then over time, we notice them becoming slower, having less energy, sleeping more and eating less. We realize they are getting older and it makes us sad. We take our pet to the Vet for a check-up and are advised that our pet is not doing so well, possibly due to old age or discovery of a terminal condition. Medication is available to ease our pet’s discomfort, but we know that the time is coming when we will need...