Canadian religious leaders lament assisted suicide

April 20, 2016

Canadian religious leaders took part in an interfaith press conference on assisted suicide amid legislative debate on the issue.

In 2015, the nation’s high court struck down previous legislation against assisted suicide and ordered the drafting of a new law.

“We stand together today, leaders within our respective faith communities – Jewish, Muslim and Christian – to express our grave concern over the decriminalization of assisted suicide and euthanasia,” Bruce Clemenger, president of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, said at the press conference, which took place on April 19 at Parliament Hill in Ottawa. “We believe that any action intended to end human life is morally and ethically wrong.”

Addressing the importance of conscience protection, Cardinal Thomas Collins of Toronto added:

We ask, simply, for the same protection that has been provided to these facilities in every foreign jurisdiction in the world that has legalized euthanasia/assisted suicide; that is, never to force hospitals, nursing homes, hospices and other care facilities to go against their mission and values, which are their institutional conscience.

 

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Further information:

• Canadian religious leaders call on Government to protect the vulnerable, improve palliative care and protect freedom of conscience (CCCB)
• Full text of remarks (CCCB)
• Elderly fear hospitals when assisted suicide is accepted, Canadian archbishop says (CWN, 4/14)