And now for something completely different...

It would appear that while the media works itself into a frenzy over the least surprising commission report ever, there is still governing occuring which just might be worth covering.

Liberals open to assisted suicide: Cotler: Government still opposes Bloc bill; Current law may be out of step with times, justice minister says while urging caution
By Janice Tibbetts
Montreal Gazette
Thursday, November 3, 2005
(Link below for those that have a subscription)

I'm glad to hear that the government is opening debate on assisted suicide. Frankly, it's about time.

This is a question of how to allow for the right to autonomy over one's body in situations where this is no longer physically possible. In my opinion, to criminalize assisted suicide is discriminatory because it takes from the less abled a right enjoyed by the fully-abled.

It is a topic hitting the radar in many developed nations, and several other governments have allowed for the implementation of safe, properly-used, and overall successful programs of assisted suicide. Time Magazine ran a feature this summer on just such a system developed in Oregan state, and I would thoroughly encourage anyone interested in this topic to read it.

But regardless of the outcome of the public policy debate, I'm glad its gaining attention. Too often the political discourse of Western nations tends toward issues affecting those in control of the media and government structures or the majority of their consumers or voters. Sometimes there are more important issues to small minorities of people, and the right to assisted suicide is one such example.

http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgazette/news/story.html?
id=74a23c3c-cd2c-4e39-8b62-88f31e165d85