Call for Conscience Campaign
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February 1, 2018February 4, 2018
To all parishioners of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie
Re: Call for conscience campaign
Dear friends,
In 2017, many Churches across the province were involved in the “Call for Conscience” campaign to advocate for the protection of conscience rights of doctors, nurses and other health care professionals who are asked to participate in assisted suicide/euthanasia. Despite more than 30,000 letters sent to Members of Provincial Parliament (MPP’s), this campaign did not achieve its desired goal: legislation that would protect health care workers from being forced to participate in causing the death of their patients. Health care workers in Ontario are being forced to choose between their careers and their conscience.
Ontario remains one of the few jurisdictions in the world without adequate protection for conscientious objectors. As a provincial election will be held this June, we need your help to highlight this issue for MPP’s and those seeking office. The 2018 Call for Conscience campaign pursues the following goals:
- To renew the call to protect the right of health care professionals to abstain from any involvement in causing the death of their patients.
- To provide protection for faith-based facilities that do not wish to participate in assisted suicide/euthanasia.
- To ask elected Members of Provincial Parliament (MPP’s) and those seeking office to increase access and funding for palliative care in Ontario.
I encourage you to participate in this campaign by contacting MPP’s and candidates in your riding, as well as leaders of the Parties, to express your concern. You will find helpful information and documents, as well as sample letters at bit.ly/ONCFC2018 . Your Pastor will also make available to you copies of the sample letter that you may use. Another way of supporting the campaign would be to sign up on the Coalition for Health Care and Conscience website at www.canadiansforconscience.ca. You would then receive monthly newsletters.
Yours in Christ,
+Marcel Damphousse
Bishop of Sault Ste. Marie
