Doctor-Assisted Death Case Study

As a result of a doctor-assisted death case, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the law, which prohibits anyone assisting in the termination of an individual’s life, had to be altered. Months later, when the Liberal’s legislation came to fruition, controversy spiked as people debated whether or not this new law was an adequate response to the Supreme Court ruling. With the desire to protect vulnerable people in mind, the Liberal’s answer fulfilled the requirements of the high court. By reviewing the criteria for eligibility, the human rights of Canadian citizens, and the reasoning behind not including mental health, it becomes apparent that the Liberal’s response was acceptable.
Some would argue that the Liberal’s response to the Supreme …show more content…
Likewise, there are arguments claiming it is discriminatory to grant the freedom of choice to people who suffer from a physical illness and not to people who suffer from a mental illness. Fundamentally, their suffering is the same. The intolerable and serious pain that comes from cancer, for example, can be just as prevalent for someone with depression. However, Supreme Court and the Liberal government stayed silent on the topic of mental health. This is because currently, there are not enough facts to support giving people with mental illness the choice of life or death. The government wants to be confident in their decision and the Supreme Court even emphasized the, “…need to protect the vulnerable from seeking suicide at a time of weakness” (Gaind 1). The unfortunate truth is that mental illnesses can distort one’s rational thinking. Without a concrete way to ensuring the individual is competent to consent, which is a rule for eligibility, giving them a choice may result in unwanted consequences. Also, there is no way to diagnose someone’s condition as irremediable. Therefore, the best solution is to allow the medical caregivers to assess