'Not acceptable': Minister blasts suggestion of assisted suicide for person with disability

The Minister responsible for persons with disabilities is speaking out after a St. Anthony doctor allegedly advised a mother to end the life of her disabled daughter.

"This is not acceptable," Sherry Gambin-Walsh told CBC Radio's On The Go Wednesday.

"It's not acceptable to government, it's not acceptable to the individual citizens, families or our society. Disability is not to be confused with suffering."

• Mother says doctor brought up assisted suicide option as sick daughter was within earshot

Sheila Elson told CBC last week that, during a hospital stay in St. Anthony, a doctor said her 25-year-old daughter was dying, and that Elson had the option to end her life.

"His words were [that] assisted suicide death was legal in Canada," Elson said.

"I was shocked and said, 'Well, I'm not really interested,' and he told me I was being selfish."

Candice Lewis, Elson's daughter, has several medical conditions, including spina bifida, cerebral palsy and chronic seizure disorder.

A spokesperson for the province's health department says Dr. Aaron McKim, Newfoundland and Labrador's medical consultant for medical assistance in dying, is now reviewing the situation and will make recommendations.

While Canada has legalized physician-assisted deaths, certain stipulations exist. For instance, the request has to come from the individual themselves — not a doctor — and Elson said her daughter doesn't have the capacity to make such a decision.

Patient must request service

According to provincial Health Minister John Haggie, of the 14 people who have sought medically assisted death in Newfoundland and Labrador, nine have been approved to avail of the service.

While Haggie said he can't comment on the specifics of the case in St. Anthony due to privacy legislation, his department is looking into the matter.

Once the facts of the case are determined, Haggie said the department will look at whether or not the actions of the doctor were in line with the requirements of Bill C-14 — which lays out very specific rules, such as requiring the patient to personally request assisted death.

"The patient has to request it, it's very clear in the act," he said.

More education needed: disability group

For Emily Christy, the head of the province's Coalition of Persons with Disabilities, the incident is jarring. 

"I was shocked and terrified that this was actually happening in our province, and I think it's the biggest issue — and a point of concern around medical aid and dying that the disability community has," she said.

Christy said Elson and Lewis both deserve an apology, and health care professionals need to be better informed about the rules around assisted dying.

"A major educational overhaul needs to happen within the medical profession and the provincial government needs to take the lead on making sure this happens," she said.

For Gambin-Walsh, who also has a 21-year-old with complex disabilities, disability and suffering are two very different things. 

"As a mom, I can't imagine. I would be appalled and disappointed, and I would have to collect my thoughts to determine how I was going to deal with it," she said of Elson's story.

"Disability can not, and will not, be used in discussions about medical assistance in dying.