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Melanie Ryzuk

The proposed changes are a horrible idea. If doctors of conscience are forced to flee Alberta’s medical scene, then all the province will be left with are doctors who have no problem with killing their patients. Here is why the proposed changes are a bad idea: "Doctor Referrals" are done if a physician thinks something will be in the patient's best interests. Our current system allows a patient to find a MAiD - or abortion - provider without their objecting physician being forced to be involved. Forcing a doctor to make an “effective referral plan” is forcing them to participate in the evil of abortion or euthanasia. Finding the right patient-physician fit requires a diverse medical system with a variety of different providers with different opinions. Many patients want providers whose values fit with theirs, and a large group of patients want to be served by providers who decline to offer certain procedures. For example, many from the disability community have called for "safe spaces" where they know the practitioner sees their life as worth living and wouldn’t agree to end their lives when they are at a low point. Result in increased doctor shortages: since "effective referral" has been introduced in other provinces, many providers have left, retired early, or sought registration in Alberta because of our more reasonable conscience objection standard. Adopting the "effective referral" language from other provinces potentially exposes our system to further loss of providers who would be frustrated with the addition of this wording.

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