Write the Senate. Tell Them Conscience Rights Matter.

Write the Senate of Canada

The Senate will soon be debating the already introduced legislation on Physician Assisted Suicide. We need to let them know that amendments to protect conscience rights are required. Use the form below to send them a message.

Dear Senator,
I am very concerned about the current version of Bill C-14 under study by the Senate. The conscience protections written into the bill are not clear enough, and do not go far enough in protecting the rights of healthcare workers and facilities.
There needs to be clear conscience protections for health care workers so that they cannot be forced to participate in assisted suicide through referral, assisting or actually performing this procedure. Health care organizations like hospitals, nursing homes and hospices should not be forced to provide euthanasia on their premises.
With the June 6th deadline having not been met, there is now a patchwork of provincial and territorial regulations that create uncertainty and may force healthcare workers and facilities to act against their consciences. This is unacceptable. Canada-wide legislation is required.
The legislation needs to clearly state that participation is voluntary, and nobody shall discriminate against people who exercise a conscientious objection. No health care worker should be forced to do something that is so personal against their will.   
If this bill is passed without further amendments Canada will be the only country in the world that does not provide clear legal protections for people who cannot participate in medical assistance in dying because of their moral convictions. It is not good enough to pass the responsibility of protecting conscience rights on referral issues to the provinces. There is no guarantee that the provinces will pass legislation or regulate it in a consistent way. Federal legislation must clearly spell out the protections provided by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms so that caregivers and their organizations will be protected from coercion or discrimination for refusing to refer or perform this procedure.   
It is not necessary to make dedicated physicians and healthcare workers put their careers on the line and open themselves to professional disciplinary action simply because they wish to follow their conscience or to force the closure of facilities that cannot provide medical assistance in dying.
The Coalition for HealthCARE and Conscience has proposals that would respect patient’s decision making as well as conscience rights. Without clear amendments, these physicians may be forced to leave the practice of medicine due to this short-sighted policy, and because of this patients like me will be unable to find the kind of doctor that I would like to have. I am also concerned that facilities which cannot morally provide medical assistance in dying will be forced to close should they be required to provide this procedure by a provincial government.  
Please carefully consider my concerns as these deliberations are conducted. I request that you please look over the Coalition’s proposals to respect and protect the conscience rights of Canadian physicians, other health care providers and objecting facilities. 
Thank you,