The people who grant and deny medical licenses in Ontario faced off against the two largest provincial organizations representing doctors on March 30 at Queen’s Park and told the doctors they have to sacrifice their conscience rights to serve patients.

The pledge was buried deep within the federal budget and delivered almost as an afterthought. Still, it is encouraging to see the Liberals keeping a 2015 election promise on palliative care.

OTTAWA – With $6 billion earmarked for home and palliative care in the 2017 federal budget, Canada is on track towards making quality end-of-life care more accessible.

On March 23, public depositions were heard by a standing committee that is reviewing Bill-84, an act to amend Ontario laws related to medically assisted death. Two of the speakers, Cardinal Thomas Collins and Dr. Christine Cserti‐Gazdewich, appealed for the recognition of conscience rights to protect doctors who reject this now-legal practice. Here is the edited statement from Cardinal Collins.

On March 23, public depositions were heard by a standing committee that is reviewing Bill-84, an act to amend Ontario laws related to medically assisted death. Two of the speakers, Cardinal Thomas Collins and Dr. Christine Cserti‐Gazdewich, appealed for the recognition of conscience rights to protect doctors who reject this now-legal practice. Here is the edited statement from Dr. Christine Cserti‐Gazdewich.

Rather than fighting to change the system which imposes euthanasia, health care professional bioethicist Bob Parke wants to create a private hospice that bans assisted killing and where dying will only come the natural way.

OTTAWA – Ontario doctors should fight harder to preserve conscience rights in the face of a policy that is “outrageous,” said American physician and theologian Dr. Farr Curlin.

Conscience rights for Ontario doctors will get the full attention of Queen’s Park on Thursday, March 23, in committee hearings on Bill 84.

OTTAWA – The Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees conscience protection for physicians and overrides policies of medical bodies that want to compel health care professionals to participate in euthanasia and assisted suicide, argued a constitutional lawyer.

SANTA FE – New Mexico Bishops released a statement last week discouraging public advocacy from Catholic legislators for abortions and assisted suicide on behalf of their Catholic faith.

The right being sought by many Ontario doctors to refuse to give patient referrals for euthanasia and assisted suicide will be addressed in committee meetings at Queen’s Park in the next month.

OTTAWA – Anti-euthanasia groups have expressed dismay at a political push in Quebec for advanced directives for dementia patients, following the murder of a woman by her caregiver husband last month.

It was a story that slipped through public consciousness like a shadow, first ominous then quickly evaporated and forgotten.

OTTAWA – Groups defending conscience rights and religious freedom will be allowed to participate in a court case challenging the Ontario physicians’ college.

WASHINGTON– The District of Columbia has joined six states in the country in allowing doctors to prescribe lethal medications to terminally ill patients who want to end their lives.