News Have a lead? Contact us at news @theotherpress.ca @ Doctor-assisted suicides may soon be legal in Quebec Parti Quebecois plan on bringing new bill before the legisla- tive assembly By Jacey Gibb, Assistant Editor be i of doctor- assisted suicide in Canada received a boost of hope last week when the recently elected minority Parti Quebecois government in Quebec announced that it would be putting forward a bill to legalize euthanasia as early as next spring. The proposed bill, which was a part of the Parti Quebecois’ platform during the most recent provincial election, comes as a result of recommendations made by the province’s Special Commission on Dying with Dignity. Founded in A weekly geopolitical update By Keating Smith, Contributor Africa: (Nigeria) The Dutch petroleum . corporation Shell has rejected its liability for the environmental disaster created in the Niger Delta, claiming that rampant criminal activity in the region is to blame for the 6 1982, Dying with Dignity Canada is a member- based charity that works on “improving individu- als’ quality of dying and expanding Canadians’ end-of-life choices.” If the bill passes, individuals would still have to meet certain requirements before they may receive “medical aid in dying.” The patient must be suffering from a “serious and incurable disease,” have “no pros- pects of improvement,” be able to personally request medical assis- tance in dying, and must be a resident of Quebec. “We're really talking about people who have unbearable suffering and who have no chance of improving their quality of life and whose death is really going to hap- pen,” says Véronique Hivon, the province's Junior Minister of Social Services and a supporter of the legalization of disaster and damages and that clean up is not the corporation’s responsibility. According Vv a al te ine BBC, “farmers are suing the company ina civil court in The Hague, claiming oil spills ruined their livelihoods.” Americas: (Venezula) Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has secured a fourth term in office after defeating his opponent Henrique Capriles by winning 54 per cent of the votes in a turn out with roughly 81 per cent of the country participating. Mr. Chavez recognized that his new government would need to “respond with greater efficacy and efficiency to the needs of our people” adding, “I promise you doctor-assisted suicide. The proposal already faces a potentially power opponent though, as the federal government has a firm stance against doctor-assisted suicide via the criminal code. But Hivon is optimistic that the province will be able to move ahead without federal obstructions. “Quebec has jurisdic- tion over health and also over professional qualifications. So this gives us the confidence to introduce this medical aid in dying in our bill.” The province does not have any power over the criminal code or the laws that the code enforces. Another challenge facing the bill is the organization Vivre dans la Dignité , or Living with Dignity. The group has raised questions about how much support doctor-assisted suicide has within the Quebecer population and over I'll be a better president.” ‘ Asia- Central & South:_. (Pakistan) Police in Pakistan have arrested several teenage suspects related to the shooting of 14-year-old Malala Yousafzai. Yousafzai, a women’s rights activist in Pakistan, was attacked by the Taliban in her city after promoting education rights for women to the public in the Northwestern region of the country. The young girl still remains in critical condition after being rushed to a military hospital in Rawalpindi after she was shot in the head and neck while on a school bus. Asia- Pacific: (Australia) Australia’s Prime whether Dying with Dignity was mislead- ing during their public report. The independent analysis showed that “those who apparently favoured euthanasia showed significant confu- sion between directly taking a patient's life by euthanasia and assisted suicide, and ceasing futile treatment, which is universally acknowl- edged as being ethical. Though the Parti Minister Julia Gillard has verbally lashed out against opposition leader Tony Abbott, labeling him as a “hypocrite” and a “misogynist,” in a fierce tirade which caught the international media’s attention. Gillard was quoted saying “If [Abbott] wants to know what misogyny looks like in modern Australia, he doesn’t need a motion in the House of Representatives; he needs a mirror.” Europe: (Norway) In - a unanimous decision, the European Union has been awarded this year’s Noble Peace Prize. According to Thorbjern Jagland, President of the Nobel Committee, the EU “contributed Photo courtesy of Pink Sherbet Photography Quebecois only holds 54 seats of the 125 in the government, the Coalition Avenir Quebec has already expressed its support for the bill, meaning the majority of representatives are in favour. The Liberal party, the Official Opposition of the National Assembly, have not yet made their stance on the issue public. to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe.” Middle East: (Israel) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for early elections in the Jewish state roughly eight months ahead of. schedule. According to Al Jazeera, “re- election could grant him a fresh mandate to continue his tough stance toward Iran’s suspect nuclear program, put the already deadlocked peace process with the Palestinians further into deep freeze and complicate relations with the US if President Barack Obama is re- elected.”