Close X
Saturday, November 16, 2024
ADVT 
National

Canadians suffering at the end of their lives need top court's help, lawyer says

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 14 Oct, 2014 10:35 AM

    OTTAWA - A lawyer set to argue at the Supreme Court of Canada this week for the right to assisted suicide says it would be a travesty if politicians simply ignore the issue.

    Grace Pastine of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association says suffering Canadians are asking for the top court's help to change the current laws.

    Should the Supreme Court agree that today's rules violate the Constitution, it could give Parliament time to write new laws.

    Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Tuesday he has no intention of reopening the debate, noting that it has been before Parliament in the past.

    Several bills that would allow for assisted suicide have come before the House of Commons over the last two decades but none has ever made it very far.

    Still, Harper says the government is watching the case with great interest.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Vogue names Toronto's West Queen West 2nd coolest neighbourhood in the world

    Vogue names Toronto's West Queen West 2nd coolest neighbourhood in the world
    Vogue magazine has named Toronto’s trendy West Queen West the second "coolest neighbourhood" in the world.

    Vogue names Toronto's West Queen West 2nd coolest neighbourhood in the world

    B.C.'s Budget Surplus Up Despite Millions Spent On Forest Fires And Floods

    B.C.'s Budget Surplus Up Despite Millions Spent On Forest Fires And Floods
    Finance Minister Mike de Jong says the high cost of fighting forest fires and floods this year has cut into B.C.'s budget, but the province is still posting a surplus.

    B.C.'s Budget Surplus Up Despite Millions Spent On Forest Fires And Floods

    Mr. Open Pitbelly's campaign: environmental disaster to boost B.C. economy

    Mr. Open Pitbelly's campaign: environmental disaster to boost B.C. economy
    The latest mayoral candidate in Kamloops, B.C., has announced his bid for the job by strapping a model of an open-pit mine to his stomach.

    Mr. Open Pitbelly's campaign: environmental disaster to boost B.C. economy

    Summer trends set stage for fall forecast, Weather Network says

    Summer trends set stage for fall forecast, Weather Network says
    One of Canada's most prominent forecasters says weather watchers need only look back at the summer to see what Mother Nature has in store for the fall.

    Summer trends set stage for fall forecast, Weather Network says

    One of the lost ships from Sir John Franklin's expedition has been found

    One of the lost ships from Sir John Franklin's expedition has been found
    Prime Minister Stephen Harper says one of the two lost ships from Sir John Franklin's doomed Arctic expedition has been found.

    One of the lost ships from Sir John Franklin's expedition has been found

    Mulcair to unveil key NDP platform planks one year ahead of election

    Mulcair to unveil key NDP platform planks one year ahead of election
    OTTAWA - Tom Mulcair intends to start this fall nailing down some key planks in the NDP's election platform — a full year before the next scheduled federal vote.

    Mulcair to unveil key NDP platform planks one year ahead of election