I would like to respond to your editorial of June 26, “Dialogue on doctor-aided suicide needed.”

I agree that we need laws in place regarding “therapeutic homicide.”

Having our current law set aside by a judge who is not accountable to the people is not what we, as a democracy, need.

If euthanasia/ assisted suicide/ therapeutic homicide is allowed in our country, we are likely to see the same result as in Belgium, where 32 per cent of all euthanasia deaths were done without request or consent. This puts the handicapped, and the frail elderly, at terrible risk. Unscrupulous family members, who want the estate of their relative, will have very little to hinder them. The handicapped have enough to struggle against, without the fear of being killed by an overzealous doctor or caregiver.

Persons suffering from depression might request a solution they would never dream of when the depression is properly treated. What will protect these people if we do not have laws in place to do so?

Jean Tibbles

Hixon