On Tuesday morning, Cariboo-Prince George MP Todd Doherty stood up in the House of Commons to deliver a passionate speech about Bill C-14, the proposed assisted dying bill.
"Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to speak on an issue that may very well be one of the most significant, important social issues that this Parliament, in the life of this government, will ever face," he began.
That's a dramatic change in Doherty from the 2015 federal election campaign.
When I asked the Conservative candidate last fall for his views on physician-assisted suicide during a one-on-one interview on Radio Roundtable on CFIS, the community radio station, he gave me a non-answer about representing his constituents as best he could on such a delicate issue. As I was framing the question, Doherty gave me a look over the microphone that seemed to say: "Where is this question coming from? Who cares?"
Doherty was sticking to the Conservative Party of Canada election playbook at the time, which meant a) he had no freedom to actually share his thoughts on this issue, and b) he had to stay on message and that meant talking only about the economy, jobs and how Justin is just not ready.
Now, with Stephen Harper gone, Justin Trudeau sitting as the Liberal prime minister and Doherty as a rookie opposition MP, it turns out the Cariboo-Prince George representative cares deeply about this topic.
"Over the last few months, I have had the opportunity to speak with constituents in my riding. I have read the letters and emails they have
written in. I have consulted with spiritual leaders from many faiths in the communities within my riding," he informed the House.
Without actually saying what those views from his constituents were, however, Doherty voted against the bill with the caveat "as it currently stands" tacked on at the end.
Doherty's criticism of Bill C-14 was straightforward. The Supreme Court of Canada overturned the previous law for Kay Carter, a woman who, if she were still alive today, would likely have been ineligible to seek help dying from her doctor under the provisions of the proposed legislation.
"If this legislation was built to address the decision of Carter v. Canada, then why would it likely exclude the very case that opened the door for physician-assisted suicide in our country?" Doherty asked.
Good question, but Doherty steered clear of the answer. That's because if the Liberals had brought forward legislation truly reflective of the Supreme Court ruling, it would be even easier for sick Canadians to kill themselves with help from their doctor.
The political irony here is rich.
While in government, the Conservatives made a point of passing legislation that ran counter to Supreme Court rulings. Now the Liberals are doing the same thing and a Conservative MP is calling foul.
Doherty also asked for more time to make a better law.
"Dealing with the sanctity of life and death should be cause for more consultation, more discussion,] and more debate than that over a pipeline or a budget," he said.
He's right but, unfortunately, time's up.
The one-year ban on assisted suicide imposed by the top court ends this coming Monday. Hours after Doherty spoke, the House passed Bill C-14 186-137, sending it to the Senate. The Upper Chamber won't be able to hold its own vote on Bill C-14 until the end of next week at the earliest.
In the end, this issue is deeply personal, as Doherty himself made clear.
"I am a father of a mature child who is cognitively challenged," he informed his parliamentary colleagues. "While a healthy and productive member of the community, who I am extremely proud of, my daughter could not, today, make an informed consent, let alone if she was dealing with a grievous and terminal disease."
In the heat of the moment, who can really make a fully informed choice about such a difficult and emotional decision? In life, as in death, decisions still have to be made, with the best facts available and the consequences unclear. The MPs, whether they voted for and against Bill C-14, did exactly that.
In the interests of local residents, however, it would have been nice to find out during the election last fall, not during the vote this week, where Doherty really stood on the matter.
-- Managing editor Neil Godbout
