A prominent campaigner has claimed a “majority” of people in Guernsey back assisted dying – so Express is asking where do you stand on the topic?
A poll run by us in 2018, ahead of a landmark States debate on changing the law in Guernsey, found just under 70% of respondents were in favour of legalising assisted dying.
A third voted no in the poll which asked respondents to select either ‘yes’ or ‘no’ on the emotive matter.
Since Guernsey’s then-States rejected efforts to force a change in the law by 24 votes to 14 in 2018, Jersey, the Isle of Man, the UK, and other jurisdictions further afield, have all made progress in their own attempts to legalise assisted dying.
Eight years on from Guernsey’s only States debate on legalising assisted dying, we’re again asking if you would support assisted dying being legalised in the island or not.
Would you support assisted dying being legalised in Guernsey?
Deputy Gavin St Pier, who took the 2018 requête to the States, told Express that he believes a majority of people in the island want to see the law changed.
He spoke at a debate hosted by the Guernsey Disability Alliance last week, where GDA member Carol Le Page offered the opposing view, with both acknowledging that assisted dying is an ethical issue bound by individuals’ morals.
Ms Le Page said she has concerns over coercion where assisted dying is concerned, and that “it could be a slippery slope” which leads to people choosing to end their lives early so they aren’t a burden on others.
Deputy St Pier said that other jurisdictions have seen terminally ill people gain permission for an assisted death but not actually go through with it, suggesting this “gives them the comfort to know that they can” if they wish.
After the debate, Deputy St Pier told Express that assisted dying will always be “a matter on which strong views can be held”.
” Whilst many will see it in black and white terms, the practical implementation of any assisted dying regime requires engagement with some difficult questions, particularly in relation to where the lines are drawn to ensure effective safeguards. Much of the debate was around this. Ultimately, it is an ethical matter which engages personal morals.”
“Since this was last debated in 2018, many other jurisdictions have adopted assisted dying for the terminally ill, including of course Jersey and the Isle of Man. I am confident that in time Guernsey will adopt a regime which is appropriate for our own community, not least because that is what the clear majority of the community wants.”
