"What I heard from some of my colleagues and others is that they saw it, they saw the connection and they saw how it fit into indigenous teachings and how indigenous teachings ... could be applicable to this kind of situation.'' Indigenous MPs and senators played a central role in securing passage of the new assisted dying law, bringing to the debate what they describe as a unique perspective on the sanctity of life. Moreover, she said, repeatedly referring to indigenous youth as vulnerable "is a big mistake.'' That prompted a number of senators — indigenous and non-indigenous alike — to question what message legalization of assisted dying was sending to those youths. But their message was amplified by the fact that the assisted dying debate played out against the backdrop of a youth suicide crisis in Attiwapiskat and other First Nations communities.

Source: Huffington Post July 04, 2016 02:26 UTC