Dying with dignity: a question of definition?

November 19, 2008 | by Derek Miedema , Researcher, Institute of Marriage and Family Canada
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Endnotes

  1. House of Commons of Canada. (2008) C-562: An Act to Amend the Criminal Code (right to die with dignity). Ottawa: Public Works and Government Services Canada. Retrieved November 12, 2008 from http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?DocId=3570851&Language=e&Mode=1&File=14
    House of Commons of Canada. (2005) C-407: An Act to Amend the Criminal Code (right to die with dignity). Ottawa: Public Works and Government Services Canada. Retrieved November 17, 2008 from http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?DocId=2333717&Language=e&Mode=1
    Both bills were created to allow “any person” (C-407) or “any medical practitioner” (C-562) to offer death to those experiencing incurable pain and suffering, or a terminal illness, who request it.
  2. Dr. Harvey M. Chochinov, personal communication, November 10, 2008
  3. van der Lee, M.L., van der Bom, J.G., Swarte, N.B., Heintz, A.P.M., de Graeff, A., van den Bout, J. (2005). Euthanasia and Depression: A Prospective Cohort Study Among Terminally Ill Cancer Patients. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 23:27, 6607-6612. Retrieved November 13, 2008 from http://jco.ascopubs.org/cgi/reprint/23/27/6607.pdf
  4. Ganzini, L., Goy, E. R., Dobscha, S. K. (2008) Prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients requesting physicians’ aid in dying: cross sectional survey. BMJ 2008;337:a1682 Retrieved November 13, 2008 from http://www.bmj.com/cgi/reprint/337/oct07_2/a1682
    Oregon’s Act requires that patients requesting assisted suicide be screened for depression. If they are found to be depressed, their doctor must refer them for treatment.
  5. Chochinov, H.M., Hack, T., Hassard, T., Kristjanson, L.J., McClement, S., Harlon, M. (2005) Dignity Therapy: A Novel Psychotherapeutic Intervention for Patients Near the End of Life. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 23(24), 5520-5525
  6. Ibid.
  7. CBC News. (2008) B.C. group calls for legalization of assisted suicide. Retrieved online November 17, 2008 at
  8. http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/11/05/bc-right-to-die-initiative-1000-assisted-suicide-death-with-dignity- oregon.html#articlecomments
  9. Chochinov, H.M. et al. Dignity Therapy.
  10. Rodriguez v. British Columbia (Attorney General), [1993] 3 S.C.R. 519 Retrieved November 12, 2008 from http://csc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/1993/1993rcs3-519/1993rcs3-519.html