One of Canada鈥檚 most outspoken advocates of physician-assisted dying ended her life this week, saying in a final note that she couldn鈥檛 wait for politicians to act on new legislation.
Albertan Donna DeLorme, who suffered from progressive MS, . But as she watched the federal election campaign unfold, DeLorme found that the major parties were refusing to say whether or not they鈥檇 meet the Supreme Court-ordered February 2016 deadline for new assisted dying laws.
On Wednesday, DeLorme quietly died at home in Calgary. For legal reasons, DeLorme did not provide details on how she ended her life. Physician-assisted dying is still in legal limbo for patients and doctors until new laws come into effect.
On Feb. 15, 2015, the courts gave Canadian lawmakers a year to draft new laws that recognize the right of consenting adults in mental or physical pain to seek help from the medical community to end their lives.
A panel was appointed to consult experts and the public before providing the government with options for the new legislation.
But the contentious issue has received little attention from federal leaders in debates or on the campaign trail.
In a note submitted to Dying with Dignity Canada, DeLorme explained why she couldn鈥檛 wait for politicians to act.
鈥淪ome politicians have suggested they may ask for a stay of this decision, which will only result in further suffering for many people, myself included,鈥� , adding later: 鈥淭he people making these decisions on our behalf are probably in a very different position than me.
鈥淭hey might have a good life. They鈥檙e probably not lying in bed hoping the next caregiver shows up so they can be helped to eat, drink, and have a bowel movement.鈥�
DeLorme also details how she was once a vibrant healthy woman left disabled by unforeseen illness.
鈥淚f life were not so hard, we would never think of asking for a doctor鈥檚 help to end it,鈥� DeLorme wrote.
Wanda Morris, CEO of Dying with Dignity Canada, said DeLorme was not a 鈥減ublicity鈥� seeker.
鈥淪he was somebody who was making a heartfelt appeal so that others wouldn鈥檛 have to suffer,鈥� Morris told 麻豆影视.
Quebec will begin to allow doctor-assisted death in December. But the rest of the provinces will have to wait until after the Oct. 19 federal election for guidance from Ottawa.
University of Manitoba bioethicist Arthur Schafer sits on an expert panel created to help provinces determine how to implement changes.
He acknowledged that not much is being said about physician-assisted suicide on the campaign trail.
鈥淭he politicians aren鈥檛 discussing it because there are votes to be lost and probably very few to be won on this issue,鈥� Schafer told 麻豆影视.
In terms of public opinion, Canadians are 鈥渙verwhelmingly supportive,鈥� but Schafer said that there is a 鈥渟mall, vociferous and passionate group, mostly of people who are religious, who oppose this and in order not to alienate them, politicians are simply not talking about it.鈥�
With a report by 麻豆影视 medical specialist Avis Favaro and producer Elizabeth St. Philip
