Should more resources be put into care for the dying?

As the government wrestles with the divisive question of how to legislate the right to die, a new study finds Canada's end of life care options limited. Should more resources be put into care for the dying?

There has been a lot of talk over the past months about the best ways to care for people who are dying. In the process finding the best way to help them have a death as free from pain as medically possible; whether that's at home, in a palliative care centre, a hospice or in the hospital.

One year ago, the Supreme Court of Canada struck down the ban on doctor-assisted dying and gave the Federal Government a year to draft new legislation. In the middle of this time period, we have had a change in government. The new attorney general says the government needs more time to draft a law that will ensure "the protection of the public." 

A new report is out that talks about the options Canadians have currently and what we're lacking. It's a study by the prestigious medical Journal of the American Medical Association and, it shows that out of seven developed countries, including the US and Britain, Canada has the highest proportion of people with cancer dying in hospital. Demonstrating, the study claims, a disregard for the type of end-of-life care many Canadians say they want. The report concludes that Canada has an inconsistent and inadequate patchwork of palliative care for people who are dying. 

We heard from Canadians on what they want from the healthcare system in regards to palliative care. Our question: "Should more resources be put into caring for the dying?"