Gordon Friesen

By Gordon Friesen
President, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

I think it is fair to say that the world-wideeuthanasia/assisted-suicide/medical-homicide debate has recently entered a newphase.

For as long as I can remember, a relentlessclick-clack, click-clack, click-clack, political ratchet sound had signalled”progress” in one direction alone: more legal jurisdictions; widereligibility; increasingly limited access to real care.

Article: Alberta Bill 18 will provide limits to euthanasia (MAiD) (Read).

Our victories were counted in the defeat of euthanasia and assisted suicide bills. And, even while celebrating, we knew that the same peoplewould be back, next year, in the same states or countries, with the same bills (or perhapssomething even worse).

In the last few years, huge chunks of culturalgeography seemed poised to totter all at once, notably including the entireBritish diaspora of UK, Wales, Scotland, the Chanel Islands, Australia, NewZealand, and of course, Canada. France too, had lately joined the contest,along with the rest of Southern Europe. And in the US the “progressive” bastionsof Illinois, and New York, finally managed to eke out a long awaited pro-deathmajority.

But now, it would seem that the winds may indeed bechanging. For although its former satellites –Australia, Canada, and more–have indeed forged ahead in radical fashion, The UK itself including all itsmain constituents (England, Scotland) has not. And while France has beenteetering for years, against all lucid prediction: it teeters still.

And then something amazing occurred. Slovenian legislatorslegalized euthanasia in July 2025,according to the same “the fix is in” international playbookthat we see advanced elsewhere. But the Slovenian people suddenly rose up andreversed that decision with a binding referendum, in November of the same year!

Apparently, this tiny victory, in a nation of only 2million souls, is destined to be recorded in history as that firstinfinitesimal crack in an apparently indestructible wall, which clearlyforetells (for those who can read the signs) a future collapse of the entirestructure. For in this instance, a euthanasia legalizing initiative was notmerely postponed, but frankly rolled back.

To be clear on this point: unlike any number ofAmerican States, Slovenians will not face a new euthanasia initiative nextyear. And this, in exactly the same way that an overturned US Supreme Courtdecision never results in new legislation, to the same effect, for at least ageneration.

Quite frankly, I think most people assumed (or atleast feared) that this victory would be a one-off, and that the death-cultsteam-roller would continue unabated as before.

But now we have Alberta, one of ten Canadian Provinceswhich suddenly says:

“No, Canada may render an extended practice oflegal euthanasia, but the Province of Alberta will limit suchpractice within the bounds of public healthcare.”

Once again, as in Slovenia, what is already legal (andin the Canadian context what had been actual practice going back five years)will be halted. Not a prevention. A roll-back!

In a little while it will be appropriate to saysomething more specific about the meaning of Alberta Bill 18 for Canada, andespecially, for other Canadian Provinces. But for today, I would simply like tomake two international remarks.

First: it can be done!

Defeating a Bill in your jurisdiction is notnecessarily a temporary victory. It is possible that you have stopped thismadness permanently. And furthermore –just as in Slovenia and Alberta– evenlosing is not the end of rational hope. Evil policy can actually be reversed.We have the proof!

My second remark, however, is more sobering: Thepopping of champagne corks, that we hear in Canada today, is to celebraterolling back the demented policy of that nation in only one of ten Provinces;and even there, only to the original state of euthanasia law in 2016, which wasthen the most radical in the world.

The number one lesson of Alberta, in the US and aroundthe world, is therefore this:

If you do not wish to find yourself in a similarsituation to that described, it is imperative to invest yourself, now, in thestruggle to prevent any legalization, whatsoever, in whatever jurisdiction youcherish as your home.