Archbishop calls for appeal of ‘ extremely flawed, dangerous’ ruling

The Catholic archbishop of Vancouver is calling on the provincial government to appeal a landmark B. C. Supreme Court decision Friday that struck down the law that makes physicianassisted death illegal in Canada.

The decision “sadly reflects a distorted view of equality rights that emphasizes autonomy over human dignity and the value of life,” said Archbishop J. Michael Miller, in a statement.

“True liberty means the freedom to live one’s life secure in the knowledge that those who care for us are dedicated to the service of life, not the taking of life.”

Miller urged the government to appeal what he called an “extremely flawed and dangerous ruling.”

B. C. Supreme Court Justice Lynn Smith ruled Friday that the current law violates the constitutional rights of the three plaintiffs — Gloria Taylor, Lee Carter and Hollis Johnson — who led the landmark legal challenge.

While declaring the law against euthanasia invalid, the judge suspended that declaration for one year to allow Parliament to set out what requirements are needed.

During that period of suspension, Taylor will have the option of physician- assisted death under a number of conditions.

The conditions are that Taylor must provide written consent, her attending physician must attest that she is terminally ill and near death with no hope of recovery, and the physician and a consulting psychiatrist must attest that Taylor is mentally competent.

Once those conditions are met, Taylor will have to apply in court for an order allowing a physician to assist her death.

The 64- year- old Kelowna woman suffers from amyo-trophic lateral sclerosis ( ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, a fatal neurodegenerative disease that slowly robs individuals of their motor skills. Most die within three to five years.