Death is not the enemy; Supreme Court got it right on assisted suicide

I have always felt that death should not be construed as the enemy to be avoided at all costs, but in some instances could be regarded as a friend that will bring relief to uncontrollable suffering be it physical or existential. 

In medical school, we are instructed to follow the Hippocratic directive that says "in the first instance do no harm." I firmly believe that forcing an individual to suffer interminably is doing harm. 

Several  jurisdictions — at least five American states, four European countries, one South American country — have legalized physician-assisted dying under certain conditions. It has been amply demonstrated that there is no 'slippery slope' and that the well-being of disabled persons has not been threatened.

The easiest pain to bear is someone else's and only the sufferer knows how intolerable it is.- Dr. Brian Finnemore

The recent decision of the Supreme Court reflects the values of the majority of Canadians who have expressed their support for choice at the end of life by wide margins in poll after poll conducted over the past 30 years.
 
The easiest pain to bear is someone else's and only the sufferer knows how intolerable it is. Only the sufferer — not the government or the religious bodies — should be allowed to determine when it is time to end it.

Those of us in the 'right to die' movement strongly support palliative care programs and believe that such care should be extended to the majority of Canadians for whom it is not now available. But we also believe that for a small group of patients, palliative care is not enough.   

We applaud the Supreme Court for recognizing the right of Canadians to have choice at life's end.