National Post 24 November 2020
Family First Comment: Apparently, there is no slippery slope – or so we are told.
Better rethink that one!
“[Canada’s Justice Minister David] Lametti also said he hopes the medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime will eventually be further expanded to people who are suffering solely from mental illness”

Justice Minister David Lametti told a Senate committee on Monday that he’s heard the fierce criticism of the government’s new assisted dying bill, which expands the regime to include people who don’t have a terminal illness.

The critics include disability rights organizations, palliative care experts, and even Jody Wilson-Raybould — the former justice minister who introduced the original assisted dying bill in 2016.

But Lametti said he believes the government has found the right balance in respecting the dignity of people with disabilities, and also their right to end their life if their suffering is too great.

Lametti also said he hopes the medical assistance in dying (MAID) regime will eventually be further expanded to people who are suffering solely from mental illness, but the government doesn’t have enough time to do it before a court-ordered deadline of Dec. 18 for this bill to pass.

Bill C-7 was introduced in response to a Quebec Superior Court ruling that found the original law, passed in 2016, unconstitutionally restricted MAID to those whose death was “reasonably foreseeable” — in other words, to patients with a terminal illness.

The bill creates a new MAID eligibility requirement for people who are deeply suffering, but who are not expected to die from their illness.
READ MORE: https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/justice-minister-defends-assisted-dying-bill-from-critics-as-senate-committee-starts-hearings

NewsHub 9 November 2020
Family First Comment: Significant concerns from the Muslim community
“A Facebook post by FIANZ in the lead-up to the referendum identifies nine concerns in regard to the End of Life Choice Act – including that it may disproportionately affect Kiwi Muslims, many of whom are refugees and comparatively poor. “In cases of severe illness where health care costs are high and carers are scarce, members of the community could request euthanasia out of guilt… as a way of relieving the society of their burden,” FIANZ President Ibrar Sheik writes. “Persons in our community who are in extreme pain and clouded by depression, shock and grief could make irrational decisions… not giving themselves time for possible recovery or coming to terms with their condition. “Passing this legislation will be tantamount to saying to our terminally ill and disabled that their lives are less valuable to society than the youthful.””

Many religious Kiwis oppose the End of Life Choice Act for ethical reasons, citing concerns with a perceived lack of reverence for life and its implications for our most vulnerable citizens, while others support it on the grounds it relieves suffering. For Catholics and Muslims, however, the response to the referendum result has been almost unequivocal, as both religions explicitly condemn assisted dying. The Catholic Church issued a ‘Declaration of Euthanasia’ in 1980, condemning the procedure as a crime against both life and God, while a recent letter written by the Vatican’s doctrinal watchdog and endorsed by Pope Francis describes it as “intrinsically evil”. Meanwhile Islamic literature asserts that God decides how long each person lives, and explicitly prohibits planning or knowing one’s time of death in advance.

…’They will dwell in Hell forever’: Islamic leader says Qur’an is clear on euthanasia

One of New Zealand’s most senior Islamic leaders says while Muslims accept the referendum result, they’re disappointed in the country’s decision and will continue to oppose euthanasia. Mustafa Farouk, the executive of the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ), said Muslims have the right to choose euthanasia – but they shouldn’t expect to be honoured at death by their faith community if they do so. In Islam, there are many rituals at the time of death. The deceased is bathed and shrouded in cloth, before receiving the Ṣalāt al-Janāzah – a funeral prayer that seeks pardon for the dead. The body is then buried with the head facing Mecca. Farouk said there still remains an obligation to ensure the deceased is buried if they opt for assisted dying, but indicated they would forfeit an Islamic funeral by doing so, telling Newshub a lot of people simply “would not attend”. “The Qur’an is very clear that we cannot take life – not only take the life of someone, but we can’t even take our own life. If anybody takes their own life, they will dwell in Hell forever. There is no grey area there whatsoever,” he said.

…. A Facebook post by FIANZ in the lead-up to the referendum identifies nine concerns in regard to the End of Life Choice Act – including that it may disproportionately affect Kiwi Muslims, many of whom are refugees and comparatively poor. “In cases of severe illness where health care costs are high and carers are scarce, members of the community could request euthanasia out of guilt… as a way of relieving the society of their burden,” FIANZ President Ibrar Sheik writes. “Persons in our community who are in extreme pain and clouded by depression, shock and grief could make irrational decisions… not giving themselves time for possible recovery or coming to terms with their condition. “Passing this legislation will be tantamount to saying to our terminally ill and disabled that their lives are less valuable to society than the youthful.”

Other religions are split on whether euthanasia is to be avoided or embraced.
For many other Christian denominations – as well as for those who practice Hinduism, Judaism, Jainism or Shinto – there is no consensus on euthanasia.
Some Hindus believe helping end a painful life is a fulfilment of their moral obligation, while for others it’s seen as a disturbance of the natural separation of body and spirit and a threat to the cycle of reincarnation.
READ MORE: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/11/euthanasia-referendum-catholic-clergy-say-assisted-dying-runs-against-core-values-islamic-leader-threatens-muslims-who-choose-it-with-hell.amp.html

NZ Herald 30 October 2020
ACT leader David Seymour thanked MPs for supporting the End of Life Choice Bill through Parliament.

He also thanked Dame Jenny Gibbs for “giving me the courage as a young MP to pursue this cause”, Brooke van Velden for her work in rallying support in Parliament for the bill, and National MP Chris Bishop.

He said New Zealand would be “a kinder, more compassionate, more humane society – what a great day to be a Kiwi”.

David Seymour hosted an event at Parliament from 1pm that heard from Shirley Seales and, via Skype from New York, Matt Vickers – the mother and widowed husband of euthanasia campaigner Lecretia Seales.

Shirley Seales gave an emotional speech acknowledging her daughter’s legacy.

“I’m sure [Lecretia] would never have imagined that she would still be acknowledged for the part she has played. She would be very humbled and I know she would want others acknowledged.”

She paid tribute to Matt Vickers, several lawyers who advocated for the cause, and MPs including Seymour, Maryan Street and Michael Laws.

She said it had been “particularly upsetting to hear lies about Lecretia throughout the campaign”.

“I have been tempted to respond, but my greatest reward will be a majority vote. We are extremely proud of Lecretia, and I’m sure she is smiling down on us all.”

Today’s result marks the end of the five-year journey for Seymour since he first put the End of Life Choice Bill in the ballot.

The referendum is binding and the majority “yes” vote will see it become law, with terminal patients able to request assisted dying from November 6 next year.
READ MORE: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/referendum-results-live-nz-votes-yes-on-euthanasia-no-on-cannabis-legalisation/LBKXYT2QB5IZLLCZJ7EVM6D4SY/

‘The devil is in the detail’: Salvation Army concerned over loopholes in euthanasia legislation
Radio NZ News 31 October 2020
Vulnerable at risk
Family First say the success of the assisted dying bill will put some vulnerable people at risk. Spokesperson Bob McCoskrie said support for the law change lowered as the debate went on.

He said many people did not realise there is an amount of choice people have in their latter days, such as turning off life support, refusing treatment, upping pain management, and do -not-resuscitate orders.

Meanwhile, a top QC said the law legalising euthanasia is shrouded in so much secrecy it will be difficult to know if anyone has been pressured into ending their life.

Auckland barrister Grant Illingworth said two doctors must sign off on someone’s request to die, but there is no requirement for them to ensure that the person has not been pressured.

“The processes under the act are shrouded in confidentiality and secrecy so nobody is ever really going to know whether people have been bullied or pressured or whether something has gone wrong in the process.

“It’s a confidential process, it’s surrounded by secrecy so how do we know?”

He said the regulations fail to require doctors to satisfy themselves there’s no coercion of a patient.

The chair of Risky Law New Zealand said the law will compromise the capacity of doctors to show undivided care and compassion to patients.

Dr Peter Thirkell said the lack of safeguards remains a big concern, particularly where patients already feel a burden to others.

The group is calling on the government to fully fund palliative and hospice services so that intentionally killing some people in vulnerable circumstances becomes unnecessary.
READ MORE: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/429542/the-devil-is-in-the-detail-salvation-army-concerned-over-loopholes-in-euthanasia-legislation

Referendum results: ‘Sad and dangerous’ day, say opponents to End of Life Choice Act
Stuff co.nz 30 October 2020
Family First national director Bob McCoskrie said some would be euthanised without a definitive prognosis. Others would request “assisted suicide” as a result of coercion, or because they could not afford treatment.

“Others will be struggling because of a terminal disease prognosis and actually just need appropriate support.

“This law now means that vulnerable people facing a terminal illness will be asking themselves – why should I not be accessing euthanasia?”

Opponents to the Act said there were already calls for it to be extended from pro-euthanasia advocates.

Many New Zealanders did not understand what they were voting for, and the outcome was based on misinformation and confusion, Euthanasia-Free NZ spokesman Renee Joubert said.

Polling during the voting period showed 80 per cent of New Zealand adults misunderstood what the End of Life Choice Act would legalise.

Only 20 per cent of respondents understood the Act would not make it legal to turn off machines that were keeping people alive – that was already legal.

“It’s disappointing that the New Zealand public were generally uninformed about the details of the End of Life Choice Act.”

Joubert said the group would continue to lobby against any extension to the law.
READ MORE: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/euthanasia-debate/123245906/referendum-results-sad-and-dangerous-day-say-opponents-to-end-of-life-choice-act

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Where are the safeguards for Māori and the disabled in end of life law?
Stuff co.nz 1 November 2020
Family First Comment: I am a disabled Māori woman who lives with pain 24/7. That pain will progressively increase as I live on, and so I am very aware of the disparities that exist in our health and disability system.
I am also aware of how poverty and a lack of access to good medical interventions, such as the expensive cost of accessing medicinal cannabis, thanks to an inept Pharmac, lead to choices of desperation rather than a choice of free will.

OPINION: In 12 months assisted dying will be legal as, unsurprisingly, the mainstream demographic has predictably spoken with a 65.2 per cent yes vote in the preliminary results.

Congratulations to those who have had their wish granted and commiserations to those who haven’t. Whilst I am myself pro-choice, I remain opposed to this law for two reasons – those being the risk to indigenous people and the disabled, as evidenced by international research in countries where it is legal.

I am a disabled Māori woman who lives with pain 24/7. That pain will progressively increase as I live on, and so I am very aware of the disparities that exist in our health and disability system.

I am also aware of how poverty and a lack of access to good medical interventions, such as the expensive cost of accessing medicinal cannabis, thanks to an inept Pharmac, lead to choices of desperation rather than a choice of free will.

There are also issues with defining terminal and many, it seems, wrongly assume disabled won’t be affected without realising many disabilities by their very nature are terminal.

Therefore, trying to stop the voices of our disabled has led to some incorrect assumptions and misunderstanding as to why many of us have spoken out against THIS particular act.

It is poorly drafted and lacks safety mechanisms.
READ MORE: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/euthanasia-debate/300146508/where-are-the-safeguards-for-mori-and-the-disabled-in-end-of-life-law?cid=app-iPhone

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