Our weekly press review prominently features the rallying of several groups to prevent the Quebec government from appealing the judgment rendered by the Administrative Tribunal of Quebec, deeming two articles of the Quebec Pension Plan Act discriminatory towards 28,000 elderly individuals with disabilities. You will also find a superb column by Marie-France Bazzo expressing the commendable work being done in several long-term care facilities (CHSLD) in Québec. In addition to the press review, you’ll also find a few words about the Québec College of Physicians’ webinar on medical assistance in dying and some highlights from World Alzheimer’s Day (September 21st).
Pleasant reading!
Jasmin Lemieux-Lefebvre
Coordinator
Living with Dignity citizen network
directionVDD@gmail.com
Press Review
Articles in French this week on our Wakelet page.
Collège des médecins du Québec Webinar
The Collège des médecins du Québec Webinar “The End of Life Care: Where Are We Now?” is now available online (in French, 1h17mins). This webinar primarily focused on medical assistance in dying (a future event will address treatment cessation, palliative care, and continuous palliative sedation). Additional resources may be found (in French) on the College’s website.
Here are our reactions during the live broadcast on September 20th, in extended versions of our four tweets, that have been translated into English:
Major CMQ event live now: End of Life Care: Where Are We Now? Conversations between Dr. Mauril Gaudreault, President of the CMQ and Dr. Michel Bureau, President of the Commission on End-of-Life Care, did not reveal any new information. Neither of them expressed any concerns about the evolution of MAiD in Québec. 1/
Dr. Louis Roy uses a poor example of mental disorders that would allow medical assistance in dying as of March 2024 in Canada: “significant depression.” Canadian policymakers, however, promise us that it would not be sufficient… /2
La Presse’s columnist Patrick Lagacé claims that the debate on medical assistance in dying “is over” in Québec and that opponents had their say during the initial debates. Voices of the opposition, however, have been speaking up from the beginning and will continue to share their belief that MAiD is not healthcare. /3
Thanks to the College of Physicians for allowing users to follow this webinar live with host Emmanuelle Latraverse. We would have also liked to hear more critical voices. A wide variety of doctors question MAiD: some in all circumstances, many for specific cases. It is important to hear them. /4
World Alzheimer's Day
Some highlights from September 21st:
– World Alzheimer Report 2023 now available online.
– Two television reports (in French) showing the impact of the Quebec Carpe Diem approach in France:
France 2 – A Unique Facility for Early Alzheimer’s Patients
France 3 – Living in Shared Housing Despite the Disease
SEP
2023