Citation

Tatalovich R. International Journal of Canadian Studies 2020; 57: 71-91.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020)

DOI

10.3138/ijcs.57.x.71

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In contrast to the European tendency toward parliamentary enactment of eutha- nasia reforms, policies on physician-assisted suicide (PAS) in both Canada and the United States were promulgated by high court rulings. These rulings were very different, however: The Supreme Court of Canada upheld a constitutional right to assisted-suicide while the Supreme Court of the United States denied that any constitutional right exists. This comparative analysis of public opinion, media coverage, federalism, interest groups, and jurisprudence argues that the key variable explaining these divergent policy outcomes was the one-sided debate over PAS in the United States, while a two-sided debate occurred in Canada. © 2020, University of Toronto Press. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Euthanasia; Physician-assisted suicide; Right to die; Morality policy