Ontario. No euthanasia debate, McGuinty says

Originally published in the Ottawa Citizen on September 16th, 2010. To go to the Montreal Gazette website please click here

Dalton McGuinty has ruled out a Quebec-style discussion of euthanasia and other end-of-life issues despite strong signs of support from aging Ontarians. “That’s not the kind of thing we’re looking at pursuing in a formal way,” McGuinty said. “I think that continues to be an important discussion between families and their doctors, and that’s where it should be.” A recent online survey conducted by the Canadian Association of Retired Persons showed an overwhelming majority of respondents believed euthanasia should be allowed. Susan Eng, a CARP spokeswoman said the surprising result demonstrated a strong desire on the part of seniors to discuss end-of-life issues. Last week, Quebec opened public hearings into the matter.

© Ottawa Citizen

Keywords: euthanasia