Emotion trumps facts at euthanasia debate

Harbour Centre hosts two heavyweights on the physician-assisted suicide issue

Dr. Williard Johnston, president of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition of B.C, debated Dying with Dignity's Wanda Morris  April 12 at Simon Fraser University's Harbour Centre Campus. The two sides debated the question, "Should physician-assisted suicide be legalized in Canada?" Alistair Burns The B.C. Catholic.

Alistair Burns recently attended a linguistic battle-royal between two experts on the euthanasia issue:

Two heavyweights battled it out in a debate over physician-assisted suicide April 19. Dr. Williard Johnston, president of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition of B.C., faced off against Wanda Morris, executive director of Dying With Dignity, at SFU's Harbour Centre campus.

They debated the question, "Should physician-assisted suicide be legalized in Canada?" with Morris taking the affirmative. A lively crowd of 80 spectators ranged from students to seniors.

Morris, a chartered accountant, began with an emotional plea, outlining cases that explained her group's goal. "Poisoning a father, that's not what we stand for." With tears in her eyes she passionately continued into her first major argument: the Sue Rodriguez case.

Read the full story at The B.C. Catholic website.