Euthanasia supporter won't vote for bill

OTTAWA, Nov. 2 (UPI) -- A Canadian minister who supports euthanasia said he would not support a right-to-die bill, saying it could worsen matters for the severely disabled or ill.

Conservative Parliament member Steven Fletcher, a quadriplegic, said despite his belief the terminally ill or physically disabled should have the right to die in some circumstances, he cannot back the bill introduced by Bloc Quebecois lawmaker Francine Lalonde, Canwest News Service reported Monday.

"Yes, the bill would provide the terminally ill with more freedom to end their own lives with dignity," Fletcher said in a commentary published Monday in the National Post. "But it may also worsen the plight of the severely injured and ill by relieving the pressure on Canadians to come to terms with the more important challenge of providing the level of support required to make living the first choice."

Despite his misgivings that the measure was too broad, Fletcher told Canwest News Service he hoped the bill's underlying issues would prompt a debate.

"An easy thing to do would be to just say, 'The bill is flawed and I'm going to vote against it.' But in the larger context, I think what is being talked about is much more profound," Fletcher said. "It's really about, what does it mean to be alive?"