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Residents Protest Assisted Suicide Bill

Apr 27, 2016 | 3:44 PM

LETHBRIDGE – Local opponents of the assisted suicide Bill C-14 took to the streets to have their voices heard.

The rally Wednesday outside Lethbridge M.P. Rachel Harder’s office is meant to back her position on the bill.

Organizer Melanie Kamper hoped the rally will bring awareness to their concerns over the wording of the bill.

“They’ve extended it from just physician assisted suicide to generally assisted suicide where you don’t need the assistance of a doctor directly,” she said. “That framework makes it a lot harder to protect people that are vulnerable.”

Others at the rally told Lethbridge News Now they had more of a moral opposition to assisted suicide based on their faith.

Bill C-14 was introduced by the Liberal Government in an attempt to reform the laws around end-of-life decisions.

Kamper said she understands the concerns of people who wish to end their life due to illness, but feels there are better alternatives.

“I know there`s a lot of things that can be done with palliative care that we need to explore more,” she said. “I know there are people suffering, but I’m scared that we may end up doing more harm than good.”

The bill, which went through its second reading on April 22, is expected to pass the Liberal-dominated House of Commons.