A symposium addressing the issues surrounding Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) took place Thursday, April 19, at the Parksville Community and Conference Centre.
Paul Reitsma, former Parksville mayor, served as moderator and organized this free symposium. Speakers included Dr. David Robertson, Island Health executive medical lead of MAiD, lawyer Karen Stewart and Rev. Phil Spencer.
The speakers addressed the topic of Medical Assistance in Dying from the perspective of legal, spiritual and medical issues with sensitivity.
Those of us who attended were given the opportunity to ask questions of the panel directly or pass questions on to the moderator.
I would like to acknowledge the time and effort Reitsma put into organizing and providing a space for this timely symposium.
It was accomplished in a manner that encouraged respect for differences in opinions. It was also very informative and offered much to contemplate.
I would also like to acknowledge the commitment of the panel members in scheduling their time to make this symposium possible.
Jule Briese
Qualicum Beach