Letters to the Editor: December 3, 2014

A gift to treasure

Our Celebration of Cultural Diversity was such a lovely, interesting and enjoyable event [“Festival showcases ethnic diversity,” November 19]. All those involved in it deserve great appreciation.

I received a beautiful hamper from the event’s sponsors with samples from around the world, a lovely gift.

Rosemary B. Hawkins

Manitoba Avenue

BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) claimed in its article that “fears that governments would push assisted suicide to reduce health care costs or that there would be pressure on elderly people who felt they were a burden to their families have not proven out.” It appears that the BCCLA needs to do some research [“Court ponders assisted suicide case,” November 26].

There are indeed documented cases in Oregon where patients have been denied life-saving cancer treatments and have been offered life-ending suicide drugs instead. And, people are pressured to end their lives, not only by impatient heirs to estates, but sometimes also by their doctors. New statistics reveal that there is a 19 per cent failure rate. Thus a number of people endure additional unnecessary pain.

In spite of a requirement for psychological assessment, this rarely happens, so assisted suicide poses a real threat to those suffering from depression. Also, new statistics indicate that the loved ones of the deceased who chose this manner of death have post-traumatic stress disorder at the same level as soldiers returning from Iraq.

Statistics from Oregon, the state with the longest history of assisted suicide, show a level of suicide in the general population far above the national average.

These are some of the reasons why I believe that end-of-life focus should be on palliative care, keeping in mind that patients are always free to refuse treatment. Experts in the field claim that physical pain is always manageable. As a society we need to care for those at the end of life in such a loving manner, that it would never cross their mind that they might be a burden. That is dying with dignity.

Kathy Kiernan

Highway 101

While I now reside in Victoria, I grew up in Powell River and enjoy coming home for the holidays each year. I was surprised to see that this year the BC Ferries Christmas Eve schedule from Little River to Powell River will be a limited schedule of three sailings per day: 6:30 am, 10 am and 6:50 pm [“Schedule change,” April 30].

This schedule will make it very difficult for people who work on southern Vancouver Island to make it home for Christmas and I can’t imagine why BC Ferries wouldn’t adjust the schedule to accommodate this busy travel day.

Heads up to other Powell River parents who have children living and working outside the community to remind them to adjust their travel plans accordingly.

Megan Cimaglia

Victoria, BC

I appreciated Paul Schachter’s report and opinions [“Court ponders assisted suicide case,” November 26] about The BC Civil Liberties Association’s position that “allowing physicians to assist terminally ill patients to end their lives is a fundamental human right and an integral part of a compassionate society.” I respect and admire those who are fighting for their right to die and thank them for their work. This is an issue that concerns all Canadians and I appreciate anyone willing to talk about it.

What’s usually missing from the conversation, however, is the extremely relative issue of palliative care. Imagine if everyone with a life-threatening illness, which these days most often means cancer, was offered support and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain as well as other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual. Many studies have shown that palliative care is an approach that improves quality of life and can even extend life in a positive way for patients.

I will never forget one of the stories that came out of the recent end-of-life issues dialogue that travelled across Canada this year, hosted by Maclean’s and the Canadian Medical Association. A patient shared that at one point in his illness he’d wished he had the right to a physician assisted suicide. After he’d moved to a hospice, however, and was receiving palliative care, he felt better, his pain was controlled, and he found new meaning in his life. He was grateful for another chapter before the end.

Only 16 to 30 per cent of Canadians who die currently have access to or receive hospice palliative and end-of-life services, according to the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association. Surely, equal access to quality palliative care should be a human right and integral part of a compassionate society.

Sandra Tonn

Vice-president, Powell River Hospice Society

Our local newspaper, the Peak, devoted the front page to an article from BC Civil Liberties Association promoting assisted suicide [“Court ponders assisted suicide case,” November 26]. To offer this option to individuals may be all well and good, if only we could be sure that the effects remained at the individual level.

I have two concerns. I am concerned that those who are sick, disabled or elderly—and who want to live—may feel pressured and devalued when surrounded by a society that thinks perhaps one should get the doctor’s help and end it all. Also, I am concerned about how it affects my relationship with my doctor if I suspect that the doctor could be leaning toward helping me to end it all rather than to doing everything possible to heal and comfort me.

Something that looks good to an individual can have the unintended consequence of cultivating a threatening climate for others. No one is an island.

Margaret Cooper

Massett Court

To say the least, it is disappointing that the Peak would publish as front-page “news” an editorial by BC Civil Liberties promoting assisted suicide [“Court ponders assisted suicide case,” November 26].

It is hard to accept the unsupported statement by Grace Pastine in the article that, “The overwhelming majority of Canadians believe that people should have the right to determine how much suffering to endure at the end of life and whether to seek a doctor’s assistance to hasten death if living becomes unbearable...” Certainly, the response to the Peak’s poll question “Should assisted suicide be legal?” indicates otherwise. When I last checked, 60 per cent of respondents opposed legalization of assisted suicide.

We should not be disarmed by the photo of a pretty, young face in the article. What we are talking about is killing people. If assisted suicide is legalized, euthanasia will not be far behind. This was demonstrated in the hearings leading to the passage into law of Quebec’s euthanasia Bill 52, an act respecting end-of-life care. Vulnerable seniors and eventually other defenceless people will be put at risk.

With respect to terminally ill patients, I would prefer that health care providers devote their efforts to good palliative care, including pain management. As stated by Elaine Drysdale, clinical professor of psychiatry at University of BC, “Terminal illness does not automatically equate with despair, and...there can be value to life, and major life lessons learned right until the end, not only for the patient, but for relatives and friends.”

Hector Beauchesne

Joyce Avenue

As an immigrant, I will not pass up this opportunity of sharing with you my most recent experience. My family, Beilmann-Montoya, chose this country in which to live for many reasons. The most important was the Canadian medical health system.

Today, 18 years later, I can assure you that we were right, very much so.

I spent the last three years with my partner, Chris Day, visiting doctors and hospitals due to his illness. During that time, we experienced immense support and personal care from hospital staff. He got the best attention, medical care, treatment and love in the final three years of his life. I am a very proud Canadian today and grateful to have made the decision to live here.

Not only did I choose the best country, I chose the best city with an incredible community. Powell River, being a little difficult in the beginning, showed me again what a great decision I had made. During Chris’ illness, the hospital turned into our second home. When we needed help, we found in the community all of the support we needed [“Interest grows in hospice,” March 19].

Chris always wanted to write this letter (it would have been better as he was British), but I am doing what he never had the opportunity to do.

I want to say gracias, thank you, to the medical system in Powell River and British Columbia.

I love my country and I love my town.

Clara Montoya

Highway 101

On November 26 the Peak published as news an article “Court ponders assisted suicide case,” written by Paul Schachter, a member of the board of BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA), one of the appellants in Carter versus Canada. This is clearly an opinion piece that should not have been published as front page “news”.

The issues in Carter versus Canada are significant and complex, and the Peak appears to have made no attempt to research the recent appeal hearing and present an independent analysis. In fact, there were numerous organizations that were granted intervener status in this case and a review of their submissions to the Supreme Court, readily available on the Supreme Court website, would have been very appropriate.

The Code of Practice of the BC Press Council states, “A newspaper’s first duty is to provide the public with accurate information.” If the Peak had taken the time to review the Amended Notice of Civil Claim submitted by the plaintiffs, it would have seen that the BC Civil Liberties Association is pursuing “physician assisted dying,” which the BCCLA defined in the notice as including both “physician assisted suicide” and “consensual physician-assisted death,” that is, killing by physician.

The opinion piece written by Schachter misleadingly downplays this, with multiple references to assisted suicide, but only one reference to physician-assisted dying, not defined.

I hope that the Peak will see fit to research Carter versus Canada and present a balanced discussion of the issues, or at the least provide equal prominence for an opposing viewpoint. If the Supreme Court grants the appeal, sooner or later physicians, pharmacists and nurses in Powell River will be expected to become involved in killing patients or helping them to kill themselves.

Tom McBride

Saskatchewan Avenue