B.C. woman joins right-to-die lawsuit

A terminally ill woman from West Kelowna has joined a lawsuit started by the BC Civil Liberties Association aimed at overturning Canada'slaws affecting people's right to die.

Gloria Taylor says ALS, also called Lou Gehrig's disease, is slowly taking away her ability to chew, speak, swallow or breathe.

"I am dying piece by piece, and I am asking the mercy of the court to allow me to die with dignity," she said on Tuesday.

Taylor is the fifth plaintiff to jointhe lawsuit launched by the BC Civil Liberties Association this spring. They are asking the B.C. Supreme Court to declare Canada's euthanasia laws unconstitutional.

"It is cruel and inhumane to force me to suffer a long prolonged death," said Taylor.

BCCLA's Grace Pastine says Taylor's circumstances are unique because she is running out of time to make her own decision.

The associationwants the court tomove quickly and grant an injunction to give herthe right to a doctor-assisted suicide before the constitutional matter is decided by the court.

"Gloria is someone who is directly impacted and that is a very important for the court to hear," said Pastine.

Illegal under Canadian law

Under Canadian law, it's illegal to counsel, aid or abet a person to commit suicide, and anyone convicted of the offence could be imprisoned for up to 14 years.

In 1993 the Supreme Court of Canada turned down a similar request from Sue Rodriguez, who also suffered from ALS. But Rodriguez committed suicide in 1994 with the help of an anonymous doctor.

Although the court at the time upheld the Criminal Code, the issue should be revisited, said Pastine ina recent interview.

"We believe the time has come to bring that issue back before the court," said Pastine. "And we believe that this time, the court will decide differently."

Assisting suicide is legal in Oregon and Washington states as well as in Switzerland.