Tony takes stand on assisted suicide legislation

NEWS RELEASE

TONY MARTIN, MP

************************* Tony Martin opposes assisted suicide bill

Government must fund palliative care, hospices

OTTAWA - A Bloc MP has reintroduced her assisted suicide bill for House of Commons debate prompting Sault MP Tony Martin to urge the government instead to greatly increase funding for palliative care and hospices. “I oppose introducing assisted suicide into Canada,” Martin said, as he commented on Francine Lalonde’s “right to die with dignity” legislation.

“I believe our ARCH hospice in our community is an outstanding example of compassionate palliative care in action. They help patients and their families. We need more hospices and our government must fund palliative care in a serious manner.”

“The federal government has cut funds to aid the provinces in establishing educational standards and training standards for palliative care in hospices. This is wrong.”

Speaking against the bill, New Democrat Joe Comartin (Windsor-Tecumseh) cited evidence that only 20 percent of the population has access to meaningful palliative care, with only another 15 to 17 percent having partial assistance as they live out the end of their lives.

Comartin quoted Dr. Balfour Mount, a McGill University professor and leading practioner in palliative care.

“(Mount says) the debate should be about the doctor's role in accompanying a terminally ill patient towards the inevitability of death, offering as much dignity and medical assistance as possible,” Comartin said. “That is not the same as saying that we should kill people. Mount said he is profoundly against euthanasia because it is simply not needed.”

Comartin said good palliative care can remove a strong motivation for assisted suicide by people who do not want to be a burden on their family or community.

He suggested doctors need more training in pain management and the government should expand EI benefits for family members who are caring for their parents or a sibling or spouse in need of that assistance.

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