1-877-439-3348 info@epcc.ca

About the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Board of Directors

President: Gordon Friesen

Past President: Amy Hasbrouck (Director-at-Large)

Vice-President: Kristina Hodgetts

Executive Director: Alex Schadenberg

Directors-at-Large (alphabetical): Fergus Devereaux, Dan Heffernan, Heidi Janz, Jim Mahony, Jen Romnes, and Adelaide Ventura

Secretary/Treasurer: Vacant

EPC-USA: Sara Buscher

Legal Council: Hugh Scher

Original Steering Committee

Former Presidents/Founders

Dr. Will Johnston (EPC-BC)

Dr. Barrie deVeber
Jean Echlin

History

Beliefs

Euthanasia is the deliberate killing of someone by action or omission, with or without that person’s consent, for what are claimed to be compassionate reasons.
Assisted suicide is counselling, abetting, or an act of aiding someone to kill himself or herself.
Members of the Coalition believe that euthanasia and assisted suicide should be treated as murder/homicide, irrespctive of whether the person killed has consented to be killed.

Purpose

To preserve and enforce legal prohibitions and ethical guidelines prohibiting “mercy killing”.
To increase public awareness of hospice/palliative care.
To promote improvement in the quality and availability of hospice/palliative care, and effective methods of controlling pain and suffering.
To educate the public on the harm and risks associated with the promotion of euthanasia and assisted suicide through the use of pamphlets, information seminars, media campaigns and research articles.
To co-ordinate and disseminate research and information on issues related to euthanasia and assisted suicide.
To represent the vulnerable and, where appropriate, advocate before the courts on issues related to euthanasia and assisted suicide.

Concerns

There is a growing tendency to promote “mercy killing” as a solution to suffering, pain, aging, mental or physical challenges, social ills, rising health costs and cost containment.
Sanctioning of euthanasia and assisted suicide (as in the Netherlands) has led to increased use of euthanasia without consent, circumvention of the law, and abuse of the vulnerable.
Advances in hospice/palliative care and pain management methods are threatened when euthanasia and assisted suicide are sanctioned as a means of relieving pain and suffering.
The medical profession need more instruction and the public needs more education regarding hospice/palliative care and effective pain control.
Depression is the most common factor in requests for assisted suicide. Depression can be diagnosed and treated successfully.
Requests for assisted suicide is a call for help.

Aims

Assisted Suicide would alter the trust relationship that exists between the medical professional and their patient.  At what point will people fear for their life when they are in need of help?

To present a united voice in presentations to governments or other organizations with respect to issues related to euthanasia and assisted suicide.

To network and exchange information between members and concerned people.
To develop and promote pamphlets, information sheets, books, and a website for educating the public on issues related to euthanasia, assisted suicide, and hospice/palliative care.
To build a research team for collecting and assessing information.
To organize events and promote quality speakers who can address issues related to euthanasia, assisted suicide, and hospice/palliative care.
To create the opportunity for informative debate.
To promote Compassionate Community Care (www.beingwith.org) services as an alternative to “mercy killing”.

Strategy

Goal: To prepare a well-informed, broadly-based network of organizations and individuals supporting measures that will create an effective social barrier to euthanasia and assisted suicide.

 

Objectives to reach our goal:

Increased understanding and respect for the dignity of human life.
Enhanced government support for hospice/palliative care systems and community care services.
Maintain and enforce existing laws against euthanasia and assisted suicide.
Establish and build Compassionate Community Care Services.

Strategy Outline:

1) Networking with supportive organizations and individuals.

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition will establish relationships with organizations that adhere to its principles. The Coalition will seek and identify supportive organizations and invite them to affiliate with us. Affiliated groups may appoint a representative to be a member of our advisory board.

2) Outreach.

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition recognizes the need for compassionate care and community services that concentrate on maintaining the dignity of every human life. We recognize that vulnerable persons are most threatened by legalizing euthanasia and assisted suicide. These include the disabled, the elderly, the chronically ill, the poor, the depressed and others. Therefore, the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition is committed to establishing and building compassionate care community services. We also intend to promote hospice/palliative care services that adhere to our principles. We believe that caring options must be established in order to prevent killing.

3) Research and information-gathering.

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition will carry out research for the purpose of pinpointing the common concerns of people.  Our positions will be based on the most up-to-date information in order to generate opposition to the legalization of euthanasia and assisted suicide. Research and information gathering will include: public opinion polls, literature searches, identifying/sharing information with supportive organizations, recognizing successful hospice/palliative care and service models, preparing for legal challenges, monitoring the media, etc.

4) Promotion and production of materials and resources.

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition recognizes the need for accurate materials that are geared to the issues and written with the intention of cultivating an opposition to euthanasia and assisted suicide.  From our research we will create information packages for schools, churches, politicians, hospice/palliative care groups, and the general public. We have developed a Life-Protecting Power of Attorney for Personal Care as an advanced directive. All materials and resources will be developed for distribution to its target audience.

5) Distribution systems for information, materials and resources.

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition will co-ordinate with its network of supportive organizations and people to develop an integrated distribution system for its information, materials and resources. Therefore we will work with existing networks that have been established by supportive organizations and also with persons who will represent us in local areas. Each network will require different materials to be developed for their use.

6) Public Education.

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition will educate the public on issues related to euthanasia, assisted suicide and hospice/palliative care through its strategy. We recognize the need to educate the public on these issues in relation to their effect on society. We will develop educational materials, organize events, host public debates, manage public campaigns, write and circulate newspaper articles and letters to the editor, train and develop speakers and media spokespersons, promote increased levels of medical and nursing education in pain and symptom management and hospice/palliative care. Further, we will work with politicians, dialogue with health care professionals, disability groups, the elderly, religious associations, pro-life groups and others to work with and coordinate our efforts.

Contact

2 + 3 =

1-877-439-3348

Box 25033 London, ON N6C 6A8 Canada

Box 611309 Port Huron, MI 48061-1309 USA

info@epcc.ca

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