Assisted Suicide

In Depth Assisted Suicide –“The Fight for the Right to Die”, CBC News Online Sept 27 2004. CBC online September 27, 2004 at HTTP:www.cbc.ca/news/background/assisted/sucide/ is the web site.

The article discusses the age old controversy of does a person have the right to end their life. In this article, Sue Rodreges, dying already of a terminal illness, suffering and wasting away was fighting for the right to die. She fought in the Canadian courts arguing that to deny here this right was not constitutional. She based this argument around the premise that it curbed her personal life freedoms. However, this was not accepted by the Canadian supreme court and here case was lost. This court decision however, has not lead to the end of this controversy.

As the article continues, the fight for personal choice to end a life with help is becoming a well supported ideal. It is gaining support not only in Canada, but in many countries. The support is been seen that there may even be a possible motion for a change to the Canadian law as this concept has gained support.

The opponents of this fight however, argue that old frail people may be cohersed into choosing such an option for the wrong reasons. There is fear that if legal people may make the decision to end a light for as much as to limit financial debt and not for medical or personal suffering reasons. This poses a moral and legal dilemma which continues to rage on.

As this controversy rages many people have decided to help no matter the consequences of the law. This has a result of court cases which have exonerated and convicted people of aiding in assisted suicide. The outcomes of the trials have been more based on jury opinion and decision then case law.

In closing regardless what country, the controversy rages with little end in sight due to strong opposing views each with the morals of society trying to be achieved. The right answer may not exist.