What do you think?
Assisted Suicide in Canada: Moral, Legal, and Policy Considerations
An ethical, legal, and political guide to the future of assisted suicide in Canada.
In its 2015 Carter vs. Canada decision, the Canadian Supreme Court decriminalized assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia. As the public debate continues, Assisted Suicide in Canada offers an accessible but nuanced survey of the controversial ruling’s ethical, legal, and political contours—including its judicial precedents and subsequent legislation. Contending that Carter vs. Canada will alter our relationship to life, death, and medicine for generations, Travis Dumsday offers an essential guide through lingering uncertainties, including how to safeguard both medical professionals’ and taxpayers’ freedom of conscience.
In its 2015 Carter vs. Canada decision, the Canadian Supreme Court decriminalized assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia. As the public debate continues, Assisted Suicide in Canada offers an accessible but nuanced survey of the controversial ruling’s ethical, legal, and political contours—including its judicial precedents and subsequent legislation. Contending that Carter vs. Canada will alter our relationship to life, death, and medicine for generations, Travis Dumsday offers an essential guide through lingering uncertainties, including how to safeguard both medical professionals’ and taxpayers’ freedom of conscience.
208 pages, Paperback
Published June 3, 2022
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
July 28, 2026
Assisted Suicide in Canada: Moral, Legal, and Policy Considerations provides a thoughtful, balanced, and accessible examination of one of the most significant ethical and legal issues in contemporary Canadian society. Travis Dumsday carefully explores the moral, legal, and political implications of assisted suicide following the landmark Carter v. Canada decision, offering readers a nuanced guide to a debate that continues to shape healthcare, law, and public policy.
One of the book's greatest strengths is its ability to present a highly controversial subject with clarity and intellectual fairness. Rather than reducing the discussion to simple ideological positions, Dumsday carefully explains the ethical principles, judicial developments, and legislative changes that have influenced Canada's approach to assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia.
The book is particularly engaging in its exploration of the broader consequences of the Carter v. Canada ruling. By examining how the decision may reshape society's understanding of life, death, medicine, and individual autonomy, Dumsday encourages readers to consider the long-term ethical and institutional implications of this transformative legal development.
Another notable strength is the book's careful treatment of policy concerns surrounding medical assistance in dying. Issues such as freedom of conscience for healthcare professionals, legal protections, public responsibility, and the role of government are examined with nuance, making the discussion valuable for readers interested in both ethical theory and practical policymaking.
Written in a clear and accessible style, the book successfully bridges philosophy, law, healthcare ethics, and public policy without sacrificing analytical depth. Its balanced approach makes it suitable for students, scholars, healthcare professionals, legal practitioners, policymakers, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of one of the defining bioethical debates of our time.
Assisted Suicide in Canada: Moral, Legal, and Policy Considerations will appeal to readers interested in bioethics, medical ethics, law, public policy, political philosophy, healthcare ethics, Canadian studies, constitutional law, and end-of-life ethics.
Overall, Travis Dumsday delivers a well-reasoned and insightful examination that demonstrates the complexity of assisted suicide while encouraging thoughtful reflection on the ethical, legal, and policy questions that continue to shape its future.
One of the book's greatest strengths is its ability to present a highly controversial subject with clarity and intellectual fairness. Rather than reducing the discussion to simple ideological positions, Dumsday carefully explains the ethical principles, judicial developments, and legislative changes that have influenced Canada's approach to assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia.
The book is particularly engaging in its exploration of the broader consequences of the Carter v. Canada ruling. By examining how the decision may reshape society's understanding of life, death, medicine, and individual autonomy, Dumsday encourages readers to consider the long-term ethical and institutional implications of this transformative legal development.
Another notable strength is the book's careful treatment of policy concerns surrounding medical assistance in dying. Issues such as freedom of conscience for healthcare professionals, legal protections, public responsibility, and the role of government are examined with nuance, making the discussion valuable for readers interested in both ethical theory and practical policymaking.
Written in a clear and accessible style, the book successfully bridges philosophy, law, healthcare ethics, and public policy without sacrificing analytical depth. Its balanced approach makes it suitable for students, scholars, healthcare professionals, legal practitioners, policymakers, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of one of the defining bioethical debates of our time.
Assisted Suicide in Canada: Moral, Legal, and Policy Considerations will appeal to readers interested in bioethics, medical ethics, law, public policy, political philosophy, healthcare ethics, Canadian studies, constitutional law, and end-of-life ethics.
Overall, Travis Dumsday delivers a well-reasoned and insightful examination that demonstrates the complexity of assisted suicide while encouraging thoughtful reflection on the ethical, legal, and policy questions that continue to shape its future.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review