A Coroner’s View Regarding the ‘Right to Die’ Debate (IN: Suicide in Canada, edited by A A Leenaars, S Wenckstern, I Sakinofsky, R J Dyck, M J Kral & R C Bland)

Coroners & medical examiners are in a unique position to observe the circumstances surrounding death & to give some added perspective on the euthanasia debate. This article describes the Ontario Coroners mandate, & the evolution of the right to die arguement. The author discusses the U.S., Dutch, & Italian experience. The Canadian experience is presented by using case studies, including Sue Rodriguez. The need for definitions & the role of Canadian law is discussed.