JT to Whip Assisted Suicide Vote

[Boges]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/liberals-to-whip-the-vote-in-favour-of-assisted-dying-law/article28734747/

Liberal MPs will be forced to vote the party line on a subject that is traditionally considered a conscience issue, as parliamentarians from all parties wrestle with how to design and implement a new assisted-dying law.

Liberal House Leader Dominic LeBlanc confirmed to The Globe and Mail on Thursday that the government plans to whip the vote on the upcoming doctor-assisted dying law.

The party says it is a Charter of Rights issue, as set out in last year’s unanimous Supreme Court of Canada ruling that struck down the Criminal Code ban on assisted dying for grievously ill and suffering adults.

“At the end of the day, the Supreme Court has defined a right around the issue of assisted dying, and we will be always voting to uphold Charter rights,” Mr. LeBlanc said in an interview.

The Conservatives and NDP, however, view the issue as a personal one – and say they will allow MPs to vote according to their conscience.

The government’s decision to force its caucus to toe the party line is the same stand Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took in 2014, when he required all of his MPs to support a woman’s right to choose.

Liberal John McKay, an anti-abortion incumbent MP, said he is surprised to hear the government has decided to whip the vote before the law is even drafted.

“It’s not core to the government’s mandate; it’s a response to the Supreme Court,” he said. “I don’t see this as a Charter issue.

I'd like to know how letting a doctor kill you is a charter issue.

Had Harper whipped a vote on an issue of conscience people would flip.

JT seems to want to control his MPs as much as Harper did.

[Big Guy]

I too am surprised if he decides to whip that vote. I see no reason to influence a vote which would produce what about 80% of Canadians want:

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/08/28/77-of-canadians-support-assisted-suicide-poll-shows.html

There must be more to this story.

[BC_chick]

When Jack Layton whipped the NDP to vote yes on SSM, he gave a very good reason for it. He said the issue is constitutional right and to a very large extent I agree with him (given that marriage is a legal contract).

Given the supreme court's ruling on assisted suicide, this vote is once again a Charter issue.

It's a little different than whipping a vote for the sake of being a dictator.

[waldo]

I'd like to know how letting a doctor kill you is a charter issue.

is that "kill you"... or "assist death"? The Supreme Court decision was unanimous - 9-0:

In the 9-0 judgment, the court declared the Criminal Code’s absolute ban on assisted suicide goes too far. Its attempt to protect the lives of “vulnerable people” also prevents competent, consenting adults suffering “grievous and irremediable medical conditions” from making core decisions about how they live and die, and so breaches three of the most basic rights: to life, liberty and security of the person, all enshrined in Sec. 7 of the Charter, and is not justified in a free democratic society.

.

[Boges]

I too am surprised if he decides to whip that vote. I see no reason to influence a vote which would produce what about 80% of Canadians want:

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/08/28/77-of-canadians-support-assisted-suicide-poll-shows.html

There must be more to this story.

JT is as authoritarian as any party leader, that's that story.

[BC_chick]

JT is as authoritarian as any party leader, that's that story.

I'm not a huge Trudeau fan, but you're being very unfair.

He's whipped a vote on something that upholds the constitution. Harper forced his views on his MP's and electorate on things that are directly unconstitutional (C-51).

[Boges]

I'm not a huge Trudeau fan, but you're being very unfair.

He's whipped a vote on something that upholds the constitution. Harper forced his views on his MP's and electorate on things that are directly unconstitutional (C-51).

Trudeau also had his MPs support Bill C-51.

[Boges]

is that "kill you"... or "assist death"? The Supreme Court decision was unanimous - 9-0:

So Liberal MPs are automatically bound to support the SCOC on every ruling?

[The_Squid]

So Liberal MPs are automatically bound to support the SCOC on every ruling?

ummm... yes. Every MP has to abide by SCC rulings and create legislation accordingly.

[BC_chick]

Trudeau also had his MPs support Bill C-51.

I remember, that's precisely when he lost my vote.

However, the discussion was whipping a vote. Many Liberals voted No.

[scribblet]

Trudeau has no right to force a politician to vote on a life/death issue which should not be a political decision and is hardly an every day one at that, the SC ruling notwithstanding. The last life/death question was on capital punishment in ’87, although Mulroney was opposed personally he did not whip the vote. The abolitionists won anyway. Trudeau is turning out to be every bit as dictatorial as Harper was supposed to be.

Text of the Motion That, in the opinion of the House, all Members of Parliament should be allowed to vote freely on all matters of conscience....
http://www.parl.gc.ca/Parliamentarians/en/members/Ed-Komarnicki(25513)/Motions

Trudeau voted for this motion just over 7 months ago and now – he’s announced he is whipping vote on Assisted Suicide.,

Guess they were dying to whip it

[Smallc]

Trudeau has no right to force a politician to vote on a life/death issue which should not be a political decision and is hardly an every day one at that, the SC ruling notwithstanding.

How can you just leave aside the court ruling. Either parliament creates Constitutional legislation that includes the right to die, or it becomes a free for all in less than four months.

[BubberMiley]

Harper dumped Steven Fletcher (a quadriplegic) from cabinet when, based on his own experience, he stated his opposition to the CPC's position on this issue, but the rabid CPC supporters conveniently ignore that.

[scribblet]

How can you just leave aside the court ruling. Either parliament creates Constitutional legislation that includes the right to die, or it becomes a free for all in less than four months.

The SCC decision overturned a very narrow and specific portion of laws prohibiting assisted suicide. It gave parliament a year to prepare wording that would allow the change for a select few in very limited circumstances while still protecting the rights of vulnerable people and those who desire to live to the end of their natural lives. Parliament, not the SCC, will amend our laws, therefore it should not be a whipped vote.

Just Trudeau broken promises.

[cybercoma]

So Liberal MPs are automatically bound to support the SCOC on every ruling?

Thats sort of the purpose of the Charter, man.

[cybercoma]

By sort of, I mean the entire purpose.

[cybercoma]

The SCC decision overturned a very narrow and specific portion of laws prohibiting assisted suicide. It gave parliament a year to prepare wording that would allow the change for a select few in very limited circumstances while still protecting the rights of vulnerable people and those who desire to live to the end of their natural lives. Parliament, not the SCC, will amend our laws, therefore it should not be a whipped vote.

Just Trudeau broken promises.

The Supreme Court didn't tell parliament anything about it needing to be "for a select few in very limited circumstances" as far as I know. Give me a link to the decision and point out exactly where they guided legislation. That's entirely outside their jurisdiction.

[BubberMiley]

Parliament, not the SCC, will amend our laws, therefore it should not be a whipped vote.

Isn't dumping Fletcher from cabinet sort of the equivalent to a whipped vote (i.e., you will follow the party line or else)?

[PIK]

The difference between trudeau and harper ,we knew what harper was like. Trudeau promised everyone sunny days and change. I had said at the election trudeau will be more of a dictator then harper. And we are now going to see a hidden agenda theory come true..

[BubberMiley]

And we are now going to see a hidden agenda theory come true..

The party position on that issue wasn't hidden at all. They've been quite clear where they stand and it's alongside Steven Fletcher, whose difficult personal experience has made him sympathetic on the issue.

[scribblet]

The Supreme Court didn't tell parliament anything about it needing to be "for a select few in very limited circumstances" as far as I know. Give me a link to the decision and point out exactly where they guided legislation. That's entirely outside their jurisdiction.

The S.C. ruling was specific in that it only lifted the ban on doctor-assisted suicide .It gave parliament a year to prepare wording that would allow the change for a select few in very limited circumstances while still protecting the rights of vulnerable people and those who desire to live to the end of their natural lives. Parliament, not the SCC, will amend our laws.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/supreme-court-says-yes-to-doctor-assisted-suicide-in-specific-cases-1.2947487

[scribblet]

The difference between trudeau and harper ,we knew what harper was like. Trudeau promised everyone sunny days and change. I had said at the election trudeau will be more of a dictator then harper. And we are now going to see a hidden agenda theory come true..

Right on, as I said earlier, Trudeau voted for this motion just over 7 months ago and now – he's whipping vote on Assisted Suicide. I don't think we've seen anything yet, the 'best' is yet to come.

[cybercoma]

The S.C. ruling was specific in that it only lifted the ban on doctor-assisted suicide .It gave parliament a year to prepare wording that would allow the change for a select few in very limited circumstances while still protecting the rights of vulnerable people and those who desire to live to the end of their natural lives. Parliament, not the SCC, will amend our laws.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/supreme-court-says-yes-to-doctor-assisted-suicide-in-specific-cases-1.2947487

Where in the SCC decision itself does it say the new law's wording must be for a "select few" and "in very limited circumstances"?

[Smallc]

The SCC decision overturned a very narrow and specific portion of laws prohibiting assisted suicide.

Actually, it really did no such thing. The right to life includes the right to end life.

[Argus]

ummm... yes. Every MP has to abide by SCC rulings and create legislation accordingly.

This is not a bill which 'abides by' the SCC ruling. The SCC were not that specific. I kinda sorta support the right to die - mostly. Where I have issues is with the possibility people can elect to die because they're suffering from depression, or some other kind of psychological illness, or where they want to die for any other reason other than being locked in a terminal illness which has unrelieved pain and/or robs them of any real ability to live anything like an enjoyable life. I would support a bill which restricted the right to assisted dying under those circumstances, otherwise not.

Edited February 19, 2016 by Argus