There are some goods and services that, for various reasons, you just can’t get in Canada: warm weather in January, pictures of yourself hugging Mickey Mouse, a view of the Mona Lisa. If you want those, you have to travel to some other place.

You can also add doctor-assisted suicide to that list. Unlike the others though, getting that service will get your loved ones questioned by police… and, if the lobbyists have their way, arrested, charged, tried, convicted, and imprisoned.

This service is obviously in demand (Sue Rodriguez made big headlines for weeks back when I was in high school). There’s some very sound ethical arguments for allowing it. But the laws in Canada don’t allow for it, potentially to the point of prosecuting those who seek the service off of Canadian soil.

Something else to note: by forcing assisted-suicide seekers to foreign countries, you in turn:

• Limit its availability to those who can afford the travel expenses.
• Limit its availability to those who can physically make the trip — thus forcing a life-or-death decision earlier than would otherwise be required.

I don’t think that that serves much purpose.