Category: Videos
Nurse describes 22 week old abortion survivor dying in clinical waste room
This video describes the kind of experience that can cause health care workers to refuse to be involved in abortion for reasons of conscience.
Nova Scotia: make a call for conscience
Nova Scotia Call for Conscience 2018
Over recent months, it has become increasingly clear that the conscience rights of Nova Scotia doctors are not being adequately protected.
A leading Nova Scotia medical regulator recently told doctors they must participate in euthanasia by making an “effective referral” even if this would require them to violate their conscience. It was made clear that the penalty for refusing to comply could be discipline for “unprofessional conduct”. Performing or referring for assisted suicide and euthanasia involve killing a patient. This is directly opposed to the teachings of many faiths and the traditional Hippocratic oath. Most health care professionals embarked on their careers to heal people, not kill them. No Nova Scotian should be required to be involved against their will.
Other provinces have found ways to provide access without forcing people to act against their moral convictions.
We need to let the Minister of Health of Nova Scotia know that we need legislation to protect conscience rights in our province. In November, Manitoba legislators passed a Bill which said that Manitoba health care professionals could not be compelled to participate in assisted suicide. We need a similar bill here in Nova Scotia. Please write the Minister of Health using the form below. The letter will automatically be sent to the Premier and the leaders of the opposition parties. Conscience rights are an all party issue. We need our legislators to show their support for Nova Scotia health care professionals.
Take action here. Write to the Government of Nova Scotia.
Ontario: make a call for conscience
Ontario Call for Conscience 2018
The Problem
Assisted suicide has been legal in Canada since June 2016. Discussions are already taking place to expand the criteria to minors, people with psychiatric illness and those with dementia. This puts people who are lonely and isolated at risk of choosing euthanasia simply because they don’t have anyone who cares and can give them hope.
Today in Ontario:
- Physicians and other caregivers are forced to participate in euthanasia against their will, by referring their patients.
- Pro-euthanasia groups are threatening to sue faith based hospitals unless they allow euthanasia on the premises.
- Only a third of the population has access to adequate palliative care, so they are being denied real choice on end of life issues.
This places physicians, nurses and other health professionals in an impossible situation – assist in the killing of their patients or lose the ability to care for patients at all.
This is happening despite constitutional protections for freedom of conscience and religion in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (s.2).
The Coalition for HealthCARE and Conscience represents more than 110 healthcare facilities (with almost 18,000 care beds and 60,000 staff) and more than 5,000 physicians across Canada. Our members are unable to participate in taking a patient’s life due to moral or ethical convictions.
The Solution
The Ontario legislature has the power to protect conscience rights for individuals and facilities and to provide adequate palliative care and mental health services so that people will not see assisted suicide as their only option. Our efforts in Manitoba helped to ensure the province passed conscience protection legislation in November 2017.
In advance of the June 2018 provincial election in Ontario, we have the opportunity to ask candidates from all parties three important questions:
- Will you support legislation to protect doctors, nurses and other health care providers who are being forced to participate in assisted suicide/euthanasia through making a referral?
- How will you protect facilities from being forced to offer euthanasia/assisted suicide on their premises?
- How does your party plan to address the lack of quality palliative care in our province?
To get involved, please participate in your Church’s Sign Up Sunday. We will be collecting contact information to help mobilize a large database of people to contact candidates for the 2018 Ontario provincial election.
[Leaflet]
For more information, visit www.canadiansforconscience.ca