Dear Fathers and Catholic Faithful,
Greetings in the Lord!
Bill C-7 is the legislation to amend the criminal code with regards to MAID, or medical assistance in dying or more properly called, Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia.
As you know, the Senate has amended Bill C-7 and sent these proposed amendments to the House of Commons for approval. If these amendments pass in the House of Commons, it will make it much easier for vulnerable Canadians to access assisted suicide and euthanasia.
The most concerning amendments are:
- Allowing people to write advance directives that require euthanasia to be administered if they are sick or disabled and lose the ability to make their own medical decisions.
- Removing the restriction on euthanasia for people whose primary diagnosis is mental illness. This change will automatically come in to effect 18 months after the Bill is passed.
Please seriously consider writing to your MP to ask them to reject the Senate’s amendments. To facilitate this task, permanent Deacon Larry Worthen (Halifax) – Executive Director, Christian Medical and Dental Association of Canada – is providing the following link to the organization Coalition for Healthcare and Conscience which makes such communication much easier: canadiansforconscience.ca.
A request by the government was filed to extend the deadline for this bill until March 26, 2021. This means we have until then to make our concerns known to the government about the dangers of expanding Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia in our country.
Again, please write your MP, including the Prime Minister, Minister of Justice, Minister of Health and the leaders of the Opposition to oppose these amendments. Thank you.
Sincerely in Christ,
Gregory J Bittman
Bishop of Nelson