Category: News

Euthanasia: David Seymour’s End of Life Choice Bill passes final reading

Newshub

Zane Small

ACT leader David Seymour’s End of Life Choice Bill has passed its final reading in Parliament four years after it was first put in the ballot box.

The Bill – which will let terminally ill adults with less than six months left to live access assisted dying or ‘euthanasia’ – passed its final reading on Wednesday in a conscience vote, with 69 votes for it and 51 against.

But just because the legislation passed its final reading, it won’t actually become law unless the public vote to pass it at the 2020 general election. . . .[Full text] [End of Life Choice Act (2017): Protection of Conscience Provisions]

Health minister uncertain about constitutionality of doctors’ conscience rights bill

Calgary Herald

Bill Kaufman

A controversial doctors’ conscience-rights bill won’t impede services for abortion, transgendered people and those seeking medically assisted death, Alberta Health Minister Tyler Shandro said Wednesday.

But the minister admitted he isn’t entirely familiar with some aspects of private member’s Bill 207, which passed first reading in the legislature last week.

Those comments came the same day the Alberta Medical Association expressed opposition to the bill, calling it “unnecessary” while saying it threatens to “limit access to patient services.” . . . [Full text]

Conscience rights bill ‘unnecessary,’ says head of Alberta Medical Association

Edmonton Journal

Anna Junker

The head of the Alberta Medical Association says a private member’s bill introduced last week that would protect the conscience rights of medical professionals is “unnecessary and inappropriate,” while the bill’s sponsor and the province’s health minister doubled down that access to health care wouldn’t be affected.

Dr. Christine Molnar, president of the Alberta Medical Association (AMA), wrote to Health Minister Tyler Shandro on Wednesday about her concerns on Bill 207. Also included in the letter were Premier Jason Kenney and Peace River MLA Dan Williams, who introduced the bill on Nov. 7. . . [Full text]

Jason Kenney Still Silent On Alberta’s Controversial ‘Conscience Rights’ Bill

Critics fear the bill will restrict access to abortion and LGBTQ health care.

Huffington Post

Melanie Woods

As doctors and medical associations speak out against Alberta’s controversial conscience rights bill, which would allow doctors to refuse referrals for services they’re morally or religiously opposed to, such as abortion or assisted dying, the province’s premier remains silent. 

The private member’s bill introduced by United Conservative Party (UCP) MLA Dan Williams passed first reading last week, with unanimous support from the party’s MLAs in attendance for the vote. It will now move to a second reading, which involves debate in the Alberta legislature. . . [Full text]

Advocates concerned Alberta conscience rights bill could put trans people at risk

Bill reopens debate on physicians’ conscience rights

CBC News

Jordan Omstead

Advocates say a bill before the Alberta legislature, purported to defend the conscience rights of health-care professionals, could effectively legalize discrimination against transgender people.

Critics say the bill strips the requirement for health-care professionals to refer a patient to another physician if the patient’s needs conflict with their personal or religious beliefs.

“This bill, as it stands, is going to create a situation where there will be legal, government-sanctioned discrimination,” said Holly Tomm, president of the Trans Equality Society of Alberta.

“It needs to be stopped.” . . . [Full text]