Parliament receives the Report of the Committee on July 1, 1995. Certain persons who are irreversibly, terminally ill suffer great pain and mental anguish. In certain cases, it would be cruel to force these persons to continue their lives. While termination of their lives may offend our interests in the sanctity of life, the best action that can be provided in the circumstances is a kind and easy passage. The Criminal Code should be amended to make this option available.
Suicide is contagious.
Many copycat suicides follow upon the report of suicides. Ways must be found to prevent government-assisted death from encouraging copycat suicides or creating suicide epidemics. 241.1 Everyone who commits or attempts to commit suicide, whether suicide ensues or not, is guilty of an indictable offense and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years. In the event of a disagreement between the person's own doctor and a qualified psychiatrist, the person may apply to the ethics committee of any public general hospital within his province for a determination that he is irreversibly, terminally ill, mentally competent and has unequivocally expressed the desire to die. A certified true copy of the opinion of the ethics committee shall be fully effective for all purposes as the certified true copy of the death certificate mentioned in s. 241.2.