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Medical Assistance in Dying

Supreme Court Ruling

The Supreme Court of Canada’s ruling says physician-assisted suicide should be available to a competent adult who “clearly consents to the termination of life and has a grievous and irremediable medical condition (including an illness, disease or disability) that causes enduring suffering that is intolerable to the individual in the circumstances of his or her condition.”

Read the Ruling

News Information:

  • Canadian Nurses Association Press Release
  • Canadian Nurse article:  Assisted Suicide
  • Supreme Court Rules Canadians have Right to Doctor Assisted Suicide.  Read more.
  • A Supreme Court of Canada ruling that cleared the way for doctors to help competent, grievously ill adults end their lives leaves legislators and medical regulators to decide how the new aid-in-dying regime would work. Here are four major issues they are likely to face. Read more
  • Newly proposed assisted suicide law aims to spur Canadian debate.  Read more
  • Top court’s ruling on assisted suicide leaves many questions for doctors.  Read more
  • Canadian Medical Association says assisted suicide may be humane option.  Read more
  • Assisted suicide: Physicians want more palliative care as well. Read more
  • Canadian Medical Association softens stand on assisted suicide. Read more
  • The debate over physician-assisted suicide.  Read more
  • A good death starts with simple compassion.  Read more

Additional Information on End-Of-Life Care

  • Refusal to face reality of death leads to increased use of aggressive, futile health-care efforts.  Read more
  • A Better Death:
    • Part 1:  End of life care: doctors, machines and technology can keep us alive, but why? Read more
    • Part 2:  End of life care: A shift to living well before dying.  Read more
    • Part 3: End of life care: Creating an exit strategy.  Read more