With the oldest population in Canada living here in Parksville and Qualicum Beach, this is something we should all think about.
Just like the people living in La Crosse, Wisconsin, where 96 per cent of the population has signed an advanced directive for the “end of life.” In Canada, we have a back bencher MP, Steven Fletcher, who has introduced two private members’ bills: C581 which is physician-assisted death and C582 which is to establish the Canadian commission on physician-assisted death. Both of these bills need to be passed into law.
If you would like your thoughts to be known on this subject, e-mail Prime Minister Stephen Harper (pm@pm.gc.ca) and MP James Lunney (lunney@parl.gc.ca). You could also e-mail Premier Christy Clark (premier@leg.bc.ca).
Before you do that, go online to end of life law and policy in Canada and look up Steven Fletcher. Reach your own decision on this matter. I have and I am filling in my own personal advanced directive for end of life.
One other letter you should go online to read is “deadatnoon.com” and find this woman’s reasons for ending her life.
Remember, we all die, so if you want control of this process and be able to die the way you want to, now is the time to do your directive. It would be advisable to give all the members of your family a copy of your directive.
This is my own personal decision if and when I want to end my life and no other organization or individual should have the right to deny this to me.
David SNEDDON
Qualicum Beach