This 2-paper set examines the debate raging around the issue of assisted suicide in Canada.  The first paper, by Professor Schafer, focusses on the arguments for and against decriminalizing physician-assisted suicide, with reference to Lee Carter v AG of Canada.  The author critiques the arguments on both sides of the debate and clarifies the ethical and legal issues.  He presents the empirical evidence from the jurisdictions following a regulatory route and its relevance to the “slippery slope” argument.  Bibliography attached.

The second paper is by Kevin Diaz of Compassion & Choices, operating in Oregon. He discusses the Oregon experience since its Death with Dignity Act was enacted in 1997.  Included are statistics on deaths under the Act, by year, and details on the requirements imposed under it.  Case names referenced by the author are available on request but the cases themselves are not included with this paper for copyright reasons.

These papers are part of a collection presented at LESA’s 48th Annual Refresher: Wills & Estates in 2015.