By Deborah Gyapong – Sept 17, 2009: Western Catholic Reporter, OTTAWA – Opponents of assisted-suicide and euthanasia bill C-384 express confidence the bill will be defeated if it comes to a vote this fall. That is if an election does not kill Bloc Quebecois MP Francine Lalonde’s private member’s bill first. Elections in 2006 and 2008 killed Lalonde’s two previous attempts to legalize assisted suicide. “In the sense that it might happen, I’m quite confident that the vote’s actually going to go the right way,” said Conservative MP Rod Bruinooge, who chairs the parliamentary pro-life caucus. “On this one, there’s clear lack of support in our party.”
Bruinooge predicted many Liberals would also vote against the bill, as well as some in the New Democratic Party. Most of the support for Lalonde’s bill will come from within her own caucus, he said. Private member’s bills, especially those dealing with conscience issues, are free votes, though the justice minister and opposition justice critics may recommend a position. [Continue reading this article here.]
