Close X
Friday, November 8, 2024
ADVT 
National

B.C. judge halts the medically assisted death of Alberta woman

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 30 Oct, 2024 03:55 PM
  • B.C. judge halts the medically assisted death of Alberta woman

A British Columbia judge has granted an injunction stopping a woman's medically assisted death, the day before it was scheduled to take place in Vancouver. 

The injunction granted on Saturday to the woman's common-law partner prevents Dr. Ellen Wiebe or any other medical professional from helping end the life of the 53-year-old Alberta woman within 30 days.

The court application by the woman's partner says she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder but later became convinced she had “akathisia" — an inability to stay still — and began exploring medical assistance in dying. 

It says medical professionals told her the condition was "treatable" and "transitory" and could be managed, and she was unable to obtain approval for assistance to die in Alberta.

The application says she then found Wiebe, and that the Vancouver-based doctor breached her statutory duty by approving assistanced in dying for a condition that does not qualify, while failing to review the patient's medical history or conduct a full health assessment.

None of the allegations have been proven in court and Wiebe declined a request for comment by The Canadian Press. 

Justice Simon R. Coval says in his reasons for granting the injunction that it was "clearly a situation of extreme irreparable harm." 

Coval says there is an "arguable case" about whether the assistance in dying criteria were properly applied in the case of the woman, who was granted anonymity by the court.

MORE National ARTICLES

Early morning shooting in Langley

Early morning shooting in Langley
Police are investigating after a man with a gunshot wound was found on the side of the road in Langley, east of Vancouver, early this morning. R-C-M-P say the victim was conscious and breathing when first responders arrived and transported him to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.  

Early morning shooting in Langley

Lawyer says RCMP bullying claims in Surrey policing case could cause 'undue' concern

Lawyer says RCMP bullying claims in Surrey policing case could cause 'undue' concern
A B.C. government lawyer says court documents in a policing dispute with the City of Surrey contain significant allegations of harassment and bullying by the RCMP that should be kept from public view because they could cause "undue public concern." Trevor Bant was speaking at the start of a hearing on Surrey's petition challenging a direction by Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth that the city transition from the RCMP to the municipal Surrey Police Service.

Lawyer says RCMP bullying claims in Surrey policing case could cause 'undue' concern

White Rock stabbing suspect arrested

White Rock stabbing suspect arrested
A statement from the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says 27-year-old Dimitri Nelson Hyacinth has been charged over the alleged assault of a 28-year man, Jatinder Singh, along the White Rock pier and promenade on April 21st. Two days later, 26-year-old Kulwinder Singh Sohi was fatally stabbed in the same area, though R-C-M-P did not provide an update on any further charges.

White Rock stabbing suspect arrested

B.C. Conservatives' 'biological sex' sports bill is quickly quashed in legislature

B.C. Conservatives' 'biological sex' sports bill is quickly quashed in legislature
A proposal by British Columbia Conservative Leader John Rustad to use "biological sex" to classify participants in publicly funded sports teams and events, effectively banning transgender athletes, didn't get to first base.

B.C. Conservatives' 'biological sex' sports bill is quickly quashed in legislature

Alberta sexual assault centres to be consulted on spending additional $10 million

Alberta sexual assault centres to be consulted on spending additional $10 million
The Alberta government will consult with the province's sexual assault centres to determine how to spend an additional $10 million over the next three years.

Alberta sexual assault centres to be consulted on spending additional $10 million

Alberta pulls funding help for low-income transit riders in Edmonton and Calgary

Alberta pulls funding help for low-income transit riders in Edmonton and Calgary
The mayors of Alberta's two biggest cities say the province has pulled $12 million in funding meant to help low-income residents access public transit.

Alberta pulls funding help for low-income transit riders in Edmonton and Calgary