Idea alert

Writing about Francine Lalonde’s private member’s bill on euthanasia, Don Martin considers the national conversation we’re not having.

Parliament, however, has been notoriously shy about having this discussion -- even though prolonged agony continues to haunt thousands of Canadians who want an assisted way out of life, but are prevented from finding a legal exit.

For the seventh time in 18 years, a private member’s bill on the subject has been introduced and may reach the Commons floor this fall. For the seventh time, the bill seems doomed to die from a lack of political oxygen.