Ontario: At Least 428 Non-compliant Euthanasia Deaths.

By Alex Schadenberg [pictured below],

A research essay by Alexander Raikin that was  published by the New Atlantis on November 11, 2024 uncovers that there have been at least 428 non-compliant euthanasia deaths in the province of Ontario. In his research essay Raikin sets out the tone of his conclusions in his opening paragraph by stating:

For years, there have been clear signals that euthanasia providers in Canada may be breaking the law and getting away with it. That is the finding of the officials who are responsible for monitoring euthanasia deaths to ensure compliance in the province of Ontario. Newly uncovered reports reveal that these authorities have thus far counted over 400 apparent violations — and have kept this information from the public and not pursued a single criminal charge, even against repeat violators and “blatant” offenders.

A Settled and Informed Decision to be Killed Will be Impossible to Ensure

By Alex Schadenberg

Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

A long-awaited bill to legalize assisted suicide in England and Wales was introduced and is likely to be debated on November 29.  A report by Paul Godfrey for UPI news on November 2 states:

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, a so-called private members' bill introduced by Labor MP Kim Leadbeater, would legalize assisted dying for mentally competent patients in England and Wales who have made a "clear, settled and informed decision" and have not been subject to any form of coercion or pressure.

Kim Leadbeater states that this is the tightest assisted dying bill in the world. ...

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition will soon provide a further analysis of the bill.  From the outset the concept that the person has made a "clear, settled and informed decision" to be killed and has not been subject to any form of coercion or pressure will be impossible to ensure.  These words are only a "sales technique" to convince politicians to support the bill.

Ontario's Euthanasia Report: The Poor and Those Who Lack Housing Are Most at Risk

Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

The Ontario MAiD Death Review report has three parts (Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3).

Janet Eastman has written an excellent commentary on the report of the Ontario Chief Coroner concerning the experience with euthanasia in Ontario, Canada's largest province. Eastman's article was published in The Telegraph on October 17, 2024. 

Eastman focuses on the Coroner's report in relation to the upcoming assisted dying debate in the UK. Eastman writes:

Assisted dying is used by patients in Canada because they are poor and lack housing, a major report has found.

The first official report into assisted dying deaths in Ontario, which has been obtained by the Telegraph, found vulnerable people face “potential coercion” or “undue influence” to seek out the practice.

Sixteen experts across medicine, nursing and law identified people whose lives may have been wrongly terminated at the hands of the state, where the action is called Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD).

Vote YES on West Virginia Amendment 1 for Protection From Assisted Suicide.

By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition.

West Virginia voters need to Vote YES on Amendment 1 this election. Amendment 1 approves a constitutional amendment to prohibit assisted suicide, euthanasia and mercy killing in West Virginia.

West Virginia Amendment 1 states:

A "yes" vote supports amending the West Virginia Constitution to prohibit people from participating in "the practice of medically assisted suicide, euthanasia, or mercy killing of a person."

A "no" vote opposes amending the West Virginia Constitution to prohibit people from participating in "the practice of medically assisted suicide, euthanasia, or mercy killing of a person."

Vote YES.

Euthanasia: Canada's Doctors Can Kill You

Original publication, 09/03/24  

By Alex Schadenberg

Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

An article by Nicholas Tomaino that was published by WSJ.com on September 2, 2024 titled: Welcome to Canada, the Doctor Will Kill You Now exposes how Canada legalized euthanasia (MAiD). Tomaino writes:

Canada has undergone a crash course in what the country calls “medical assistance in dying,” or MAID. The experiment began in 2015, when the Canadian Supreme Court ruled in Carter v. Canada that “laws prohibiting physician-assisted dying interfere with the liberty and security” of people with “grievous and irremediable” medical conditions. Parliament codified the decision the following year.

Lawmakers thought they were imposing limits. “We do not wish to promote premature death as a solution to all medical suffering,” then-Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould said. The plaintiff’s lead lawyer in Carter argued that “in almost every case,” doctors will want to “help their patients live, not die.” “We know physicians will be reluctant gatekeepers.”

New Jersey Update

By Alex Schadenberg (pictured at right)*

The New Jersey 2023 assisted suicide report states that there were 101 reported assisted suicide deaths in 2023 up from 91 in 2022. Assisted suicide started in New Jersey on April 12, 2019.  According to the report:

101 people were known to have died by assisted suicide, 

13 people received the lethal poison but died a natural death, 

3 people received the lethal poison but had not died and 

2 people received the lethal poison and died but the cause of death is unknown.

When the cause of death is unknown, it usually means that no report was submitted. Therefore it may have been an assisted suicide death, but no report was filed.

West Virginia Ballot Initiative Would Prohibit Euthanasia

By Alex Schadenberg  (pictured right)

The Washington Stand published an article by Sarah Holliday on September 2, 2024 that reports on the West Virginia Ballot Amendment 1 which, if passed, would prohibit euthanasia and assisted suicide in the state constitution.

Holliday reports:

Amendment 1 has recently been added to the state’s November ballot with the intention of providing “protection against medically assisted suicide.” Ultimately, “the amendment just places what’s already illegal in West Virginia into the state constitution for more security going forward,” said Pat McGeehan (R), a West Virginia state delegate, on Tuesday’s episode of “Washington Watch.” If this amendment is passed, West Virginia would become the first state to amend their constitution to prohibit assisted suicide.

The Isle of Man's Lower House Passes Bill Legalizing Assisted Suicide & Euthanasia, Termed Assisted Dying

By Alex Schadenberg, original post 07/24/24         

The Isle of Man's assisted dying bill passed on third reading in the House of Keys (Lower House). The bill still needs to be voted on in the Upper House (Legislative counsel).

Two-thirds of the 24 members of the House of Keys voted in favour of the assisted dying bill. The bill requires that a person be an adult (at least 18) given a 12 month prognosis and must live on the Isle of Man for at least 5 years to qualify to be killed.

Rebecca Brahde reported for BBC news on July 23 significant opposition to the bill remains. According to Brahde:

Tim Glover described the proposed bill as a "Pandora's box", adding that the views of a number of charities, community groups and churches had not been sought.

Contact Delaware Governor to Veto Assisted Suicide Bill HB 140

Alex Schadenberg:

"Everyone needs to contact Governor John Carney [pictured left] and urge him to veto assisted suicide Bill HB 140. Call Governor Carney at: 302-744-4101 or email him at: john.carney@delaware.gov"

A news story by Sarah Mueller for whyy news stated:

Democratic Rep. Paul Baumbach, the prime sponsor, said the bill has not yet been sent to the governor. A spokesperson for the governor said lawyers were reviewing the legislation. Requests to clarify their answers received no response.

Britain Will Debate Assisted Suicide

By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition 

Original publication 07/22/24

Keir Starmer, the leader of Britain's Labour Party, has been a long-time promoter of assisted suicide. During the election Starmer promised that he would introduce a bill and allow a free-vote on legalizing assisted suicide in the UK. The July 4 election resulted in the Labour Party winning a massive majority with 411 out of 650 parliamentary seats.

After the election Starmer reiterated his support for assisted suicide and promised a free-vote within the year. BBC news reported:

Sir Keir Starmer has insisted he remains committed to giving MPs a free vote on assisted dying laws at some point.

The prime minister said he would provide parliamentary time for a vote if a backbench MPs proposed changing the law, but stressed the government had other "priorities for the first year or so".

What Happened to Delaware Bill HB 140?

Original publication 07/03/24 by Alex Schadenberg.

Everyone needs to contact Governor John Carney [pictured here] and urge him to veto assisted suicide Bill HB 140. Email him at  john.carney@delaware.gov

A news story by Sarah Mueller for whyy news stated:

Democratic Rep. Paul Baumbach, the prime sponsor, said the bill has not yet been sent to the governor. A spokesperson for the governor said lawyers were reviewing the legislation. Requests to clarify their answers received no response.

Canada’s Euthanasia Numbers Up Across the Board in 2023

By J-P Mauro (pictured right).

While Canada’s federal government has yet to release nationwide statistics on the number of citizens who have sought and received euthanasia under the Medical Aid in Dying program (MAiD), a recent independent analysis of data from individual provinces suggests the numbers are up across the board. 

The analysis was conducted by Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director of Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, a Canadian action group that works to ensure the preservation and enforcement of the legal prohibitions and ethical guidelines of “mercy killing,” as well as raising awareness of alternative treatments. He began his report by examining the data from British Columbia (BC) in 2023, finding 2,767 reported assisted deaths, which is up by 10% from 2,515 in 2022.

French Euthanasia Proposal Dead for Now

Mr. Schadenberg at European Parliament

By Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition. (Pictured here).

The European Parliament held their elections from June 6 to June 9, 2024 resulting in a shift in the balance of power. It appears that the European Parliament will likely have more of a  conservative focus over the next few years.

In response to the European election results and the shift in european politics, French President, Emmanuel Macron, on June 10 called a snap election with his hope of catching conservative political parties off-guard. The election will be on June 29 - 30 and the second tier on July 6 - 7.