A new study by the University of Alberta says the majority of Albertans think dying adults should have the right to assisted suicide.
The research took place as part of the 2010 health care survey by the University’s Population Research Laboratory. It asked 1,203 Albertans for their opinion on euthanasia, which is illegal in Canada.
The survey found that 36.8 per cent of Albertans believe dying adults should “be able to request and get help from others to end their life early.”
Another 40.6 per cent said assisted suicide “should only be allowed in certain cases or circumstances.”
“We made it very clear that these were people that were considered dying, they thought they were dying or diagnosed that they were dying,” said Donna Wilson, a professor and Caritas nurse scientist at the faculty of nursing.
“Really we wanted to get at whether people thought there was a right to this and whether there should be access to it.”
Wilson said those opposing assisted suicide were often less educated – 39.8 per cent did not complete high school – and followed strong religious beliefs.
Forty per cent of Protestants said no to euthanasia, as did 35 per cent of Catholics and 44.3 per cent of “other religions,” such as Christians, Muslims, Hindus and Jews.
Wilson said the survey showed that people who experienced death were more open to the idea. This included people who cared for a dying family member or friend (79.8 per cent), or euthanized their pet (81 per cent).
“We found out that people would say things like we have a beloved pet that got ill and was suffering and dying and we had that animal euthanized, and my poor brother who had cancer all these years and they can’t cure it, he can’t have it,” she said.
“The vast majority of people who die now tend to be at the end of a very long illness were oftentimes the person is saying I wish I could go now.”
Wilson said the survey took place before British Columbia’s Supreme Court ruled in favour of a physician-assisted suicide, and a Quebec panel called on their government to allow for “medical assistance to die.”
She added the discussion around assisted suicide is growing in a number of provinces. Before it could be made legal in Canada, it’s important to look at the experiences of other countries, she said.
“The main thing is that we shouldn’t jump into this quickly. And if we go this way we should find out what works and what protections are needed,” she said.
Assisted suicide is legal in Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Switzerland, as well as in the states of Washington, Oregon and Montana.
