Kannada extends “medical euthanasia” to people with disabilities. At the same time, people with disabilities are denied the necessary support to lead a self-determined life. A Comment.

Report of Washington Post More truthful than thoughtful. It says Canada wants to expand “medical euthanasia”. “Medical euthanasia” allows a doctor to end the life of a consenting patient whose medical condition is considered “severe and incurable” and is known to have “presumably” died.

The Canadian Parliament is currently negotiating a law that would expand “medical euthanasia”.

Bill C-7 would remove the ban on euthanasia for people who are “reasonably” likely to die in the future, expanding it to include disabled people.

The fact becomes even more worrying that the Canadian government withholds resources from its citizens for a self-reliant life in the community.

UN conference not found

In April 2019, the United Nations condemned Canada for “serious deficiencies” to fulfill its obligations under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Due to the lack of community-based support, there is no other option for people with disabilities in the country than in institutions and other incompatible settings.

Inhuman

These are situations that people with disabilities have in Canada because they have no other option:

Roger folie There is a severe degenerative neurological disease that severely limits the mobility of his hands and feet. Therefore, he cannot live without support. Foley now claimed to have been severely neglected and abused by nurses assigned to him by the government.

Despite his illness, Foley wants to organize his support himself. But the government does not give them any option for the support that they deserve to live their lives and make them self-sufficient.

Unfortunately, Foley’s condition is not an isolated incident. Chris Gladders, a 35-year-old man with a rare genetic disease, has called for “medical euthanasia”.

His brother is not only for his illness, but above all the conditions under which he had to live before his death. For weeks at the facility where the Gladers lived, the sheets had not been replaced, the floor had been soaked with urine and feces and staff had not responded to Glader’s call for help.

Glader’s brother now believes that the odd circumstances at home have greatly influenced his brother’s death wish. Instead of mitigating the circumstances and giving him a decent life, the government granted him a wish to die.

Wrong way

By depriving many of its disabled citizens of any choice but to remain in an institution, Canada is losing control of its life and at the same time is in danger of losing the will to live.

Canada must meet the requirements of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It determines that every disabled person has the right to live in the community – with the same choice as everyone else. Expanding community-based support services such as personalized support would be the right solution.

Expanding euthanasia to include disabled people is certainly not a solution. Good, needs-based care is a human right. With the expansion of euthanasia, Canada will once again give up the heads for its citizens and one for human rights.