Gloria Taylor (patient)

Gloria Taylor was a Canadian woman known for her legal battle to challenge Canada's laws on assisted suicide. Diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, Taylor sought the legal right to end her life with the assistance of a physician, arguing that the existing laws infringed upon her rights to life, liberty, and security of the person under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Background

Gloria Taylor was diagnosed with ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that leads to muscle weakness, paralysis, and ultimately, respiratory failure. As her condition worsened, Taylor became an advocate for the right to die with dignity, joining a legal challenge against the Canadian government to seek the legalization of physician-assisted suicide for individuals suffering from grievous and irremediable medical conditions.

Legal Battle

The case, known as Carter v. Canada (Attorney General), was initiated by Taylor and several other plaintiffs, including the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association. They argued that sections 241(b) and 14 of the Criminal Code of Canada, which criminalized assisted suicide, violated the Charter rights of individuals with severe and incurable medical conditions who wished to end their lives with the help of a physician.

In 2012, the British Columbia Supreme Court ruled in favor of Taylor and the other plaintiffs, stating that the existing laws were unconstitutional as they applied to individuals with grievous and irremediable medical conditions. The court granted Taylor an exemption, allowing her the right to seek physician-assisted suicide under certain conditions. However, this decision was appealed by the federal government.

Impact and Legacy

Gloria Taylor's case brought significant attention to the issue of assisted suicide and end-of-life care in Canada. Although she passed away from an infection in 2012, before the case reached the Supreme Court of Canada, her efforts contributed to a landmark ruling in 2015. In Carter v. Canada (Attorney General), the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the prohibition on physician-assisted dying was unconstitutional for competent adults with grievous and irremediable medical conditions who find their suffering intolerable.

Following this ruling, the Canadian Parliament passed Bill C-14, legalizing medically-assisted dying under specific conditions, thus changing the landscape of end-of-life care in Canada. Gloria Taylor's courage and determination played a pivotal role in this historic change, making her a significant figure in the fight for the right to die with dignity.

See Also

• Assisted suicide
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
• Carter v. Canada (Attorney General)
• Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
• Bill C-14