Diocese
Of
Thunder Bay
Dear Mr. John Rafferty, MP In writing this letter to you I wish to express opposition to Bill C-384. This bill would amend the Criminal Code to permit euthanasia and assisted suicide in Canada. I oppose the legalization and practice of euthanasia and assisted suicide on the grounds that they undermine the dignity of the human person by denigrating the dying process and by rejecting the community dimension of the person. I believe that euthanasia and assisted suicide are contrary to the practices of holistic health care, cannot be regulated to prevent abuses, and are inconsistent with Canada’s reputation as a protector of personal dignity and human rights. I urge you to reject euthanasia and assisted suicide as a solution to the challenges posed by the suffering of terminally ill members of our society, and instead, to adopt policies and practices that promote access to comprehensive end-of-life care for all Canadians. By attending to the needs of dying persons among them, Canadians can transform health care. By committing ourselves to compassionate palliative care, Canada could provide the world with yet another model and example to be imitated in the realm of health care. We have come a long way in our research in the area of pain control, and assisting those who are suffering, and modern medicine has the ways and means to assist all those in these circumstances. I believe the development of policies that will give palliative and end-of-life care higher priority in our health care system — not the legalization of euthanasia and assisted suicide — is the way to ensure that people near death receive compassionate care and are able to die with dignity. As a Member of Parliament from my area, I ask you to consider seriously my objections and concerns. Thank you. Sincerely, + Fred Colli Most Rev. Fred J. Colli,
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