A majority of Canadians strongly in favour of legalized euthanasia are still concerned that the sick, disabled and elderly could be put to death without consent, a new poll has found.

The Environics Research Group poll found 61% of all Canadians, and 75% of Quebecers, approve of legalized euthanasia -- figures that have been fairly consistent for the past several years. But the poll also revealed that support may be weaker once respondents are asked to consider the potential consequences of such a law.

Fifty-five per cent of those who expressed strong support for euthanasia are worried that a "significant number" of people could be put to death against their wishes, according to the pollster. Among those showing tentative support, that number rose to 72%.

"Among those who express tentative support for legalizing euthanasia, a large majority think the government should place a greater priority on investing in more and better palliative and hospice care than on legalizing euthanasia," Environics said.

The poll also found that 56% of all Canadians, whether for or against legalization, expressed some concern that "elderly people will feel pressured to accept euthanasia to reduce health care costs."

The poll comes as Bill C-384, which would legalize euthanasia for those in physical or mental distress, is undergoing second reading in Parliament.

And today, the Quebec College of Physicians and Surgeons, the licensing body for the province, is expected to ask Ottawa to make euthanasia legal in certain cases.

The poll was commissioned by LifeCanada, an Ottawabased group that opposes euthanasia and abortion. They said this poll gives the first hard evidence that Canadians are more conflicted about the issue than previous polls have shown.

Dr. Delores Doherty, a physician in St. John's, N.L., and president of LifeCanada, said the poll has two significant findings.

"Canadian are actually very concerned about the implications of legalized euthanasia and they would prefer the government concentrate on providing better end-of-life care," she said.

Derek Leebosh, the Environics senior researcher who produced the poll, said it is impossible to draw conclusions on whether support for euthanasia is weaker than it appears.

"We know that Canadians are concerned about the consequences of legalized euthanasia and they're open to arguments against [euthanasia]," Mr. Leebosh said. "What we don't know is if it's enough to make people rethink their support for the overall concept."

In other polls, he said, Canadians were often asked a "soft" question about euthanasia by "using candy-coated words that are designed to make it sound like it isn't what it is."

But the question in the Life-Canada poll was quite stark.

The poll defined euthanasia as "the use of lethal means, such as a drug injection, overdose or poisoning to take the life of someone who is sick, depressed, elderly or disabled."

"What the poll shows is that there is a definite majority of people when they hear 'euthanasia' say yes, even when it's described in a way that pulls no punches," Mr. Leebosh said.

The survey of 1,014 Canadians, polled between Oct. 6 and 13, has a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Charles Lewis, National Post 
Published: Tuesday, November 03, 2009