Assisted Suicide Case and Canadians with Disabilities Opposition


Media Advisory

Friday March 1, 2013 - The Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD) and the Canadian Association for Community Living (CACL) have been granted intervener status in the appeal of the Carter v. Attorney General.  The appeal is from a ruling issued on June 8, 2012 in which Justice Smith declared that Canada’s prohibition on assisted suicide violated Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  Appeal hearings will begin Monday March 4th at the BC Court of Appeal.  CCD and CACL oppose any change in the Criminal Code that would allow assisted suicide.  Vulnerable persons, people with disabilities and the elderly will be put at risk if the law is changed.

CCD and CACL will have representatives at the Court.  If media wishes to set up interviews with representatives of the disability community that oppose assisted suicide the contact people listed below would be pleased to assist.

Contact:

Laurie Beachell, National Coordinator of CCD,  204-947-0303(work)  204-981-6179 (cel)

Michael Bach, Executive Vice President CACL,  416-661-9611 (work)  416-209-7942 (cel)

Amy Hasbrouck, Coordinator of Not Dead Yet Canada, a Project of CCD, will attend the court hearing – 450-921-3057 (cel)