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Québec Superior Court decision prevents December 10 launch of Québec euthanasia law

Dec 1, 2015

Editor’s note. The following was distributed by the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition.

Hugh Scher

Hugh Scher

The Québec Superior Court made the right decision today when it issued a temporary injunction preventing the Québec euthanasia law from going into effect on December 10.

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC) intervened in the court case brought by the Coalition of Physicians for Social Justice.

EPC is a national non-profit corporation that exists to build a broad based network of groups and individuals that support measures that will create an effective social barrier to euthanasia and assisted suicide.

EPC Executive Director Alex Schadenberg argued that euthanasia does not constitute health care and that Québec does not have jurisdiction to legalize euthanasia. EPC legal counsel, Hugh Scher, stated that in its February 2015 decision, the Supreme Court of Canada recognized the role of the federal government to legislate on the issues of euthanasia and assisted suicide.

The federal government either has sole jurisdiction or shared jurisdiction concerning these issues. The decision was necessary based on the federal right to legislate on these issues.

Amy Hasbrouck with John Kelly

Amy Hasbrouck with John Kelly

Amy Hasbrouck, the Director of Toujours Vivant – Not Dead Yet, said:

Inconsistency between federal and provincial regulation for death could foster confusion and dangerous errors. We must handle these policies with extreme care.

“The Quebec government announced today it will appeal the court decision suspending provincial medical aid in dying legislation,” the Canadian Press reported.

The case was argued before the Quebec Superior Court on November 24.

Categories: Euthanasia