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At the end of October, I went to Windsor, Ontario to participate at the annual Symposium of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, where I was invited to present a summary of the euthanasia situation in Quebec. This year’s annual meeting had a very powerful theme: resisting euthanasia and assisted suicide. Once again, this event has given rise to very good exchanges and a rich sharing of experiences and understanding of current issues, both in Canada and elsewhere in the world.

In Quebec news, the International Congress on Palliative Care was an occasion to publicize the widespread concern about the future of palliative care in Quebec. According to the experts present, the arrival of euthanasia exposes the environment of palliative care in Quebec as one at risk of "fracture and implosion" because of the increasing pressure to "force medical aid in dying" in its environments of care (>>).

Additionally, the Commission on end-of-life care (CSFV), which monitors the implementation of the Quebec Euthanasia Act, published its first annual report on activities (>>). Far from alleviating our concerns, this report confirms the basis of our concerns.

First of all, the number of cases of euthanasia in Quebec has exploded. As of September 1, 262 cases of euthanasia have already taken place, despite official estimates forecasting only 50 to 100 applications during the first year. At this rate, we could reach 300 cases of euthanasia in the first year alone.

Secondly, the report of the CSFV is alarming because of the number of doubtful cases: already 21 cases proved to be problematic. Among them, 18 cases concern the independence of the second doctor, 2 cases mention a problem with the end-of-life criterion, and 1 case raises questions about whether the patient was actually suffering from a serious and incurable disease.

These major problems deserve serious attention from governmental authorities who should not take lightly these drifts which arrive less than a year after the law’s entry into force. Unfortunately, it seems that the Government of Quebec is continuing its steps in the wrong direction. The Minister of Health, after expressing surprise at the number of cases of euthanasia, is already talking about simplifying the forms of doctors reporting their euthanasia and reassessing the criterion requiring the advice of a second doctor.

Living with Dignity will follow the case closely and will urge authorities to follow up on what could be considered criminal offenses. We cannot accept that problems regularly find their solution through simply being subject to new guidelines.

Aubert Martin, director