Christian Horizons is concerned about the future implications of the Supreme Court of Canada’s ruling on doctor-assisted suicide as it relates to persons with developmental disabilities.
As a provider of services for people with developmental disabilities, we work to promote full citizenship of people with exceptional needs. We value all people as image-bearers of God to be respected for their gifts, abilities and contributions.
In the past fifty years Canadian society has made tremendous progress in recognizing the value of all people by building communities which include all people. The court ruled that permission for physician-assisted death must be strictly limited to a competent adult, clearly consenting to the termination of life where the person has a grievous and irremediable medical condition causing enduring suffering that is intolerable to the individual.
The risk is that any law following this decision may allow others to make life-ending decisions for people deemed or seen as incapable of voicing their own choices. We must ensure that abuse and disproportionate impact on vulnerable people does not materialize.
The cautions in the decision must be respected. Our concern is that they will not.
Sincerely,
Janet Nolan
CEO, Christian Horizons