Thank you.
I think the whole doctor-assisted, physician-assisted death debate offered an opportunity for us in Parliament and all Canadians to consider some of the very profoundly difficult questions that surround end-of-life care. Of course, we had the Supreme Court of Canada decision that required us to come up with a framework of some type.
Mr. Pereira, I think that you have indicated some concerns about assisted suicide. I note that in a 2011 National Post article, you are quoted as saying:
Legalizing euthanasia and assisted suicide places people at risk, affects the values of society over time and does not provide controls and safeguards....
What we really need is good palliative care that addresses the issues, suffering and fears that surround terminal disease.
I think death has become something that is very alien to our culture.... We seem to have forgotten that it is a normal, natural process and we have projected our fears onto it.
I think that sums up some of the essential issues involved in this difficult discussion. Are you suggesting that palliative care and physician-assisted dying are mutually exclusive approaches, or can they co-exist as part of a comprehensive end-of-life care strategy?