Dr. Regina McQuillan:

That is an important point. Introducing the legislation, although it might be for certain people, changes the entire landscape for society, particularly for people living with serious illness, because you are then creating this as a different option. That leads to a change in how people think about what they should be doing. If it is an option that assisted dying is open to you, does that create this unintended coercion that because your family member might need to give up work to look after you, do you then feel that because there is this option of assisted dying, I should take it so there is less pressure? Family members will never say that but you may feel that. That is an unintended coercion.

The issue of the abuse of adults is an important one. I mention people over 65 who are abused by their family and friends and they are already in a vulnerable position. Introducing a change in the law changes society. It changes how you look at and perceive people. Public opinion is always interesting and public opinion polls are often in favour of this. Public opinion polls also change and move. In Canada five or six years ago, something like 40% of people were in favour of assisted dying for people with mental health problems.

The most recent poll showed that 80% of Canadians would avail of assisted dying for people with mental health problems while 51% would avail of assisted dying if people could not get healthcare, 50% would avail of assisted dying if people were disabled and, really interestingly, nearly 30% were in favour of assisted dying if people were poor or homeless. It is quite a change in society-----