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On March 9 2018 Island Health announced that an RFP for 120 new residential/care beds along with six hospice beds had been opened to bidders. The RFP allows organizations that don't permit MAiD on-site to submit bids. This is not acceptable. We have launched a "No MAiD - No Contract" campaign in an attempt to convince Island Health that they should only consider service providers (of which there are many) allowing MAiD onsite. Click here for more information No MAiD - No Contract!
Equal Access Goal
The purpose of our organization is to pressure our health authorities to provide Medical Assistance in Dying onsite in all publicly funded health services in our Valley. We totally respect the rights of all individuals to religious freedom however that right cannot be allowed to restrict the fundamental freedoms and rights of others.
The Issue
In the Comox Valley the ability to exercise our legal right to Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) is severely restricted. Currently almost one in three residential care beds in the Comox Valley are located in a Roman Catholic facility (the Views) that not only prohibits assisted dying on site but also requires a resident to transfer to another facility for even an exploratory discussion of MAiD. Other faith-based institutions do not have the same restrictions: the Lutheran Church, the United Church and the Anglican church are examples of other Christian denominations that are fully supportive of the rights of the individual to consider and choose MAiD.
St. Joseph's/the Views is one of only two of the fifty nine residential care sites on Vancouver Island refusing to allow even an on-site MAiD assessment.
St. Joseph's/the Views is one of only two of the fifty nine residential care sites on Vancouver Island refusing to allow even an on-site MAiD assessment.
Why must this change
Our Charter Rights (s7) and our rights under the Carter Decision and Bill C-14 are not being respected
There is incontrovertible evidence from physicians and patients that forcing frail and dying residents to transfer to another facility presents an unnecessary threat to individual security. Furthermore the rules of the Roman Catholic Church place an undue burden on the individuals ability to even access information about medical assistance in dying.
We have the right to accessible and universal service delivery under the Canadian Health Act and the BC Medicare Protection Act.
While we have the right to accessible and universal health care service delivery, only 69% of residents of those in publicly funded residential care facilities in our community have access to MAiD. This compares to 94% in the Greater Victoria Area and to 100% everywhere else on Vancouver Island. It is unconscionable that a person in one facility has full access to MAID while another, less than a mile down the road, does not and must leave their residential care "home" for even an exploratory discussion of MAiD.
There is no federal or provincial legislation that permits institutional conscientious objection.
The Charter and Bill C14 protect only individual religious freedom. The “1995 Master Agreement for Denominational Service Providers” is cited as giving legality to the RC Church’s refusal to allow MAiD; we do not believe that it would withstand a legal challenge.
There is incontrovertible evidence from physicians and patients that forcing frail and dying residents to transfer to another facility presents an unnecessary threat to individual security. Furthermore the rules of the Roman Catholic Church place an undue burden on the individuals ability to even access information about medical assistance in dying.
We have the right to accessible and universal service delivery under the Canadian Health Act and the BC Medicare Protection Act.
While we have the right to accessible and universal health care service delivery, only 69% of residents of those in publicly funded residential care facilities in our community have access to MAiD. This compares to 94% in the Greater Victoria Area and to 100% everywhere else on Vancouver Island. It is unconscionable that a person in one facility has full access to MAID while another, less than a mile down the road, does not and must leave their residential care "home" for even an exploratory discussion of MAiD.
There is no federal or provincial legislation that permits institutional conscientious objection.
The Charter and Bill C14 protect only individual religious freedom. The “1995 Master Agreement for Denominational Service Providers” is cited as giving legality to the RC Church’s refusal to allow MAiD; we do not believe that it would withstand a legal challenge.
RC MAiD policy is impractical and places an additional burden and expense on public health care.
Timely transfer to another facility is unlikely in an over-loaded system. The average wait time for a residential care bed in the Comox Valley in 2016 was 114 days -- almost four times the provincial target of 30 days. Acute care occupancy is 104% with 28% of hospital beds being taken up by those who should be in an alternate level of care -- e.g. a residential care facility. Facility choice is an illusion. The cost burden of catering to RC MAiD policy should not be borne by the taxpayer.
Future expansion of MAiD eligibility criteria will only exacerbate the problem.
The Federal Government is currently studying three additional eligibility types - advance requests, mental illness and mature minors. Quebec is actively considering advance consent for Alzheimer patients. Other cases are already proceeding through the courts that will likely also expand eligibility.
Seniors Services should reflect community demographics and current public policy.
Census data shows that 52% of our community has no religious affiliation and that only 12% identify themselves as Roman Catholic. Physician assisted dying is supported by 85% of Canadians and by 83% of Roman Catholics. The Roman Catholic Church morally opposes contemporary Canadian public policy related to assisted-dying, to same sex marriage and to transgender rights. Minority religious dogma should not dictate the provision of publicly funded health care services.
Timely transfer to another facility is unlikely in an over-loaded system. The average wait time for a residential care bed in the Comox Valley in 2016 was 114 days -- almost four times the provincial target of 30 days. Acute care occupancy is 104% with 28% of hospital beds being taken up by those who should be in an alternate level of care -- e.g. a residential care facility. Facility choice is an illusion. The cost burden of catering to RC MAiD policy should not be borne by the taxpayer.
Future expansion of MAiD eligibility criteria will only exacerbate the problem.
The Federal Government is currently studying three additional eligibility types - advance requests, mental illness and mature minors. Quebec is actively considering advance consent for Alzheimer patients. Other cases are already proceeding through the courts that will likely also expand eligibility.
Seniors Services should reflect community demographics and current public policy.
Census data shows that 52% of our community has no religious affiliation and that only 12% identify themselves as Roman Catholic. Physician assisted dying is supported by 85% of Canadians and by 83% of Roman Catholics. The Roman Catholic Church morally opposes contemporary Canadian public policy related to assisted-dying, to same sex marriage and to transgender rights. Minority religious dogma should not dictate the provision of publicly funded health care services.
