Euthanasia ... Part 3 - A STORY.

The McLeans

The McLeans immigrated to Canada from the UK in the early 1960s.

At that time, there were only two of them - Harold and Jeannie. They were both in their early 20s and had just married.

Harold and Jeannie settled in Ottawa, Canada's Capital City, in it's Rural West End which was still rugged and underpopulated.  They hired themselves out as farm hands on the O'Brien Farm and worked from sun-up to sun-down for the next several years.

They squirreled away their nickles and dimes until they were able to buy a 100 acre piece of rock-scrabble and through the 70s and 80s eked out a living.  They were proud though since for the first time in their lives they owned their own property - save for the mortgage owed to the Bank.

By now there 4 more - 2 girls and 2 boys named, Patricia, Brigitte, Sean and little Bill.  Little Bill was the youngest and sadly had suffered brain damage at birth.  He would always go by the name 'Little' despite the fact that he eventually tipped the scales at over 250 lbs. and grew to some six foot two inches in height.

Early in the new millennia the father, Harold, died of heart attack the doctors summing it up best when they said Harold simply worked himself to death. But he died happy or so family and friends had said.

The two daughters and the healthy son were by now off on their own but due to Little Bill's "slowness" he remained at home, on the farm, with his mum.

Jeannie and Little Bill struggled to get by on her small government pensions and with the help from neighbours and friends. Fortunately, Harold held sufficient life insurance so when he died in 2001, there was enough money to pay off the mortgage.

In any event, Jeannie didn't count her blessings by how much money she had.. rather she basked in the joy of life on the farm with her Little Bill. 

And truth be told, Jennie was not poor.  Indeed she was a multi-millionaire.

Although she and Harold had paid but $5,000 for their farm in 1969, by the turn of the century it was worth in the million of dollars given that the City of Ottawa had expanded westward and subdivisions were springing up all around them.

Hardly a month went by without a realtor driving down their lane with an offer...the most recent of which was for $3.2 Million.

Her three healthy kids were constantly at her to sell... especially Sean - the oldest - who had experienced several bad business investments. But as Jeannie so aptly put it - Little Bill and I are happy here - why would we ever move.

But as the new century progressed Jennie's health began to deteriorate.  Not her physical health - she was still strong as a horse - but mentally she was getting more and more frail.

Early Dementia, the Doctors called it.

By 2016 she had lost interest in cooking, cleaning and the like and of course did not have the finances at hand to bring in help. But Little Bill did the best he could to fill the void and Brigitte and especially Patricia visited their mother often to help with the household duties.

It was at this point that Sean called a meeting of his two sisters to take place at the family farm.  He said they were going to confront their mother once and for all and demand that she sell the farm.

The meeting took place on a Saturday morning in May.  The four of them sat around the old oak kitchen table...Little Bill was down at the creek playing with his new puppy dog 'Spot'.

Sean led off by giving example after example of how his mother's mental health was failing.  He then, threw open the floor to his two sisters both of whom had their own examples of their mother's infirmity.  

At this point, Sean asked his mother to reply.

She did not - she had retreated into herself and simply looked defeated.  Patricia took Jeannie off to bed.

When Patricia returned Sean laid out what he was really thinking. Euthanasia Laws had come into being and he pointed out that "sad cases like our mother are exactly what these laws are intended to address".

Patricia wisely pointed out that Little Bill would not be able to function without his mom while Brigitte noted that none of them were in any position to take care of him.

Sean though once again had the answer.  Olde Doc down the road had often told their parents that Little Bill should never have been allowed to live after birth.  Doc had said, "we should have just left him on the table to starve".

Patricia was shocked.  Brigitte kept her own counsel and did not express concern.

Patricia broke the silence, "what about Little Bill's new puppy?"

Again Sean came though with an easy answer, "we'll just put it down too with mum and Bill."

So that was that.

Death came to all three without service or even a notice in the local paper.

A few days after the 'event' Sean received a telephone call from the Crematorium advising that the ashes of his mother and brother were ready for pick-up by the family.  Sean told the caller the family had no need for the ashes and instructed him to dispose of them in the usual fashion. (Whatever that meant - but it seemed to Sean that it had a particular air of finality to it.)

Over the next many months Sean and his sisters would meet to receive updates from Sean as to how the wind-up of the Estate was going.  It had taken longer than Sean had wanted but throughout he kept his eye on the bottom-line - that is to say how much money would remain for the three of them to share once legal, court, real estate fees had been paid and the necessary taxes submitted.

The most recent such meeting proved somewhat awkward when Sean had said to Patricia that she looked peeked, "are you feeling okay?"

Upon hearing this Patricia's stomach turned, while Brigitte looked away embarrassed. 

Perhaps one or more were all thinking - that A Three Way Split is Fine...a Two Way Split is Better..while a One Way Split is Best.

Unless of course you are not the survivor.

They certainly were not thinking about Jeannie, nor Little Bill, nor even his new puppy Spot.

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'

Part 2 of 3 ...For The Non-Believers.

I continue with my 3 series Blog on Convenient Dying.

Now for the Non-Believers.

Pretty hard to argue with you guys - if you do not believe in an after-life why would you want anything to do with suffering and why wouldn't you want to pull the plug or have someone else do it for you if the going got tough.

You are headed for oblivion anyway, so if you speeded up the process ... so be it.

I saw an article in the paper the other day with the front page devoted to a chap who has ALS... a fatal disease.  His wife was feeding him though a tube because he had lost the ability to swallow.

Despite this, she looked quite chipper as did he.

There was nothing wrong with his mind but in the scheme of Euthanasia I guess that is not really a big factor for those who believe they are headed into perpetual darkness anyway.

Compus or not; if the suffering is too great then that's the end of the story.  At least your story.

But is it?

A few questions for you:

If, as you believe, life ends forever when you take your last breath is it not unfair of you to leave your family and friends prematurely?  After-all we are not on earth for a long time so why purposely shorten it.

Is it not selfish of you to deny your family members and friends who provide you care the opportunity to continue to provide it until death is natural.  Think how good they feel knowing they did all in their power to make your last days comfortable and a fulfilling as they possibly could.

And is it not extremely selfish of you to have doctors complicit in your death?  Why should they have your death on their hands?

Why would you not consider alternatives to assisted dying such as Hospice and Palliative Care?  Pain control and enjoyment of your time remaining is their focus?

Are you and I not superior to the other animals here on earth?  Are we to put people down as if they were a sick cat or dog?

If you pull the plug for whatever reason, do you not realize that it will be easier for the next pull of the plug and the next one after that?  No wonder the disabled fear Euthanasia.

Be Brave And Never Surrender To Your Fears.

And If You Do Not Do That For Yourself....Do It For Others.

Finally, you might be pleasantly surprised to find out that on the other-side of Darkness there is Light.

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'

Pt. 3 Next...A Story.

A THREE PARTER ... Pt. 1: For The True Believers.

This past weekend, my wife and I along with friends attended a lecture organized by Doctors against Euthanasia.

In particular, these Doctors are concerned that their moral right not to assist patients wishing to commit suicide will be disavowed by our ever-more secular governments. 

In other words, they will be forced to commit murder or lose their registrations.

In the past, these Doctors have taken comfort and sustenance from their Hippocratic Oath which Medical Schools have incorporated into their graduation ceremonies for well over 500 years:

 I will apply therapeutic measures for the benefit of the sick according to my ability 
and judgment, and will abstain from harm and wrongdoing. I will not give a lethal 
drug to anyone requesting it, nor will I recommend the use of such. 

The Oath, like the Doctors themselves are now under attack.


The Night's guest speaker was the World Renowned 

Philosopher - Dr. Peter Kreeft from Boston University.


Before I get to Dr. Kreeft and his message I would like to 

Stake out what I see as the bottom-line in-regard to 

Euthanasia for those of us who Believe in a Higher Power, 

that is to say - God.


Simply stated, we believe that the Creator created us - that

life is therefore sacred and only God should be the decider 

as to when our time here on earth is ended. 



Doctor Kreeft, while adhering to the sacredness of life, adds 

another dimension; 'suffering' as an important part of life in 

general and in death specifically.


Indeed, he points out that Suffering permeates all 

dimensions of our lives - emotional, mental and physical;  

without suffering we would lose our ability to earn a place 

in Heaven. 


For those of us who are Christian there is no better example 

of this than Christ's death upon the Cross.  Had he not

suffered for the redemption of our sins, his Crucifixion

would be meaningless, there had to be Sacrifice.

Better to have just come down off the Cross and smite his 
persecutors.  


In light of this Suicide or assisted suicide are really very

selfish acts. It not only devalues your own life but denies your

family and friends of the chance to rise above their own daily 

preoccupations and to sacrifice themselves by doing

good for others. 


It also makes killers out of Doctors. 



Believers do not condemn those who may take these paths;

we do though condemn the act.


Plus there are excellent alternatives such as Hospice and 

Palliative Care.  There is no excuse given the advances in

Medical Care that anyone need experience unendurable 

pain or other suffering. 

 
As We Believers See It...


'K.D. Galagher'


Pt 2 The Non-Believers next. 

JACK BE NIMBLE, JACK BE QUICK, JACK FELL OVER THE CANDLE-STICK

Jack, as in my Member of the Provincial Parliament, here in Ontario.

A month or so ago Member Jack, made an off-colour joke at an 'off the record' charity fundraiser.

                Note to Jack ... nothing is 'off the record'.

The Guy though is a farmer and the woman who said she was offended was a Member of Canada's Federal Parliament and a former Lt. Colonel in our Military. Guess she led quite a sheltered life in the army.

But this Blog is not about her and only partially about Jack.

It is a Blog about Dysfunctional Ontario Politics which I promised to leave alone for a year - but given this recent kerfuffle, I couldn't help myself... 

You understand.

So back to Jack.  I attended a dinner this past weekend put on by the Ontario Landowners in support of his embattled self.

I learned from the evening's organizers that the PC Party has demanded that Jack apologize to his fellow Tories at their Caucus Meeting this week.

We agreed that this would be a big mistake not only because Jack has already apologized to the 'offended' Lt. Col and also made public his apology but for a much more important reason I will set-out below. 

Jack was also suspended from attending Caucus / the Legislature by new Party Leader Patrick Brown until he under-went 'Politically Correct' Sensitivity Training.

I do not know the MPP very well - but I do know him somewhat and know some of his close friends and neighbours and from that can attest that he is one decent man... probably too decent for politics. He is married to a wonderful woman and has three lovely grown daughters.  Not the type you would think in need of help with Sensitivity.

But he did tell an off-colour joke and is now paying the price.

When this first came out I said he should resign and, in fact, I still feel that way since politics / society has become so politically correct.  That, plus the fact he is a Conservative - means the poor guy is a walking dead.

But the greater part of the Story here is not stumbling Jack ,but rather, it has to do with the State of Affairs of Ontario Politics.

I have classified the dozen+ years the Liberals have been in power in Ontario as the Worst Government our Province has ever experienced and our current Premier Ms. Wynne - its Worst Premier... even worse than her Liberal Predecessor Dolton McGuinty.

But despite that and the fact that Ms. Wynne's Government is the subject of many ongoing police investigations, she is demanding that Opposition Leader Brown dismiss MPP Jack from the Tory Caucus.

The gal has some nerve - you have to give her that.

This nerve of hers / mcguinty is even more apparent when you consider the damage caused to Ontario's economy by her Government's destruction of Ontario's energy system.  This all in a futile folly known as their Green Energy Program to combat Man-made Global Warming.  

It has come with a big price - in fact, in her recent report the Province's Auditor stated that since the Liberals were first elected to Government in the early 2000s - Ontarians have over-paid for their power by more than $30 Billion Dollars.

Even more importantly, their airheaded policy has caused businesses to shutter since they simply cannot afford the tripling cost of power. Some 300,000 plus manufacturing jobs have been lost - likely forever.  

But through it all, we Conservatives retained some comfort in the thought that one day - hopefully as of the next election, Ontario would return to Conservative Rule and the dreaded Green Energy Plan would become history.

Now For The Rest Of The Story:

It turns out that MPP Jack and Conservative Party Leader Brown had it out -  before his ill timed joke - over Green Energy.

Brown had come out in favour of Cap in Trade which is anathema to real conservatives. The MPP told his Leader he could not support him in this folly because at that point Jack was still a real conservative which was not surprising given his status as past president of the Ontario Landowners Association.

I say 'was a real conservative' because of what he said and rather what he did not say at this past weekend's event.  He talked about he was a much better person now he had completed Sensitivity Training ... it is to laugh.  He did not make mention of his demanded apology nor did he make mention of being in disagreement with Leader Brown.

It was apparent to me as well as to the Ontario Landowner Organizers that not only was Jumping Jack going to go through with the demanded apology but he was no longer going to publicly make waves on the disastrous position his Party is taking in support of Cap and Trade.  

So finally, it comes to light that this Blog is really all about Provincial Tory Leader Patrick Brown.

Seeking the Nomination of the Progressive Conservatives - he said all the right things - why is made us real conservatives most proud.

But once in power - it was like the transformation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - what was right was now left.

As evidenced by his support of the most destructive policy Ontarians have ever seen.  Green Energy.

It doesn't work but it costs Billions in over pricing and lost economic activity.

But for us Real Conservatives and for the Welfare of Ontario it does raise the following question - If we can no longer count on the Conservatives to right the ship...who can we count on?

My Libertarian Friends tell me that their member-sign-up in Ontario has never been so brisk. 

May it is time to give them a chance - heaven knows the Tory's have had 4 unsuccessful kicks at the can.. and now it looks like they taken themselves out of the running for kick number 5.

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'   

PASS THE GREY POUPON svp...

This past weekend I attended a meeting where a very distinguished Rabbi spoke on the topic - 'We Are In This Together.'

The speech was directed at us Christians who are now suffering death and maiming in many parts of the world in similar fashion as Jews have experienced for millennia. 

Before he spoke I reminded the Rabbi that is was just two years ago that a few of us organized a rally to encourage western governments to come to the rescue of Christians in the Middle East where genocide was and is still occurring.  I told him that we were not too concerned about Jews which caused a double-take on his part until I went on to say - "other than for Israel, there really are no Jews left in the Middle East" to which he readily concurred.

Sadly, governments in the west have turned a blind eye to the atrocities being visited upon our fellow Christians.

He dealt with this extensively in his remarks tying it in with the topic of his message.  Christians and Jews have become one when one talks about all forms of discrimination.

It reminded me of the olde saw:

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out - because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me - and there was no one left to speak out for me. 

He then talked about Red China - reminding us all that this country harvests organs from its prison communities.  He went to say a lesser known fact that it also subjects the peace-loving sect - Falun Gong to the same treatment.  

China's medical tourism is alive in well and servicing patients from around the world seeking various organ transplants.  Not so great for the forced donors but quite a deal for the recipients. 

He mentioned whereas in the West it can take years - and even not then - to obtain a needed body part - in China you can order one as if you were buying a pair of shoes online.

And yet, at least one of the G-7 Leaders says that he is a big fan of the Chinese Totalitarian Government.

So, here in the West live goes on oblivious to these atrocities throughout the world - our governments ignore them as do our media as do our citizens.

We collectively replace the outrage with 'pass the Poupon.'

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'

Are Trump's Supporters Being Had?

I am not the conspiracy type but something seems to be rotten in the State of Denmark when it comes to the way the Trump Campaign is unfolding now that he is guaranteed to win his Party's Nomination.  

Simply stated, his Campaign has gone from confrontation to One Big Love-in.

Most of his previous opponents now profess to like him and many have actually made it known that they would like nothing better than to be part of his Presidential Team assuming he can beat dear Hillary. 

Remember if you will the slings and arrows Donald Trump cast at them all while they were still active candidates.  He was quite nasty; and now, it's let bygones be bygones?

Not only that, but the Republican Establishment now too appears to be coming onside.  These are the same guys and gals The Trumper vowed to axe should he attain office. And it seems like only yesterday when they vowed to support anyone buy Trump and said some very rude things in so doing.  

Oh Yeah - it was but 'yesterday'.

Even Senator John McCain, whom Trump called a coward for being taken prisoner by the North Vietnamese, is now on record as saying that he too will support the Donald in November's Election.  

It begs the question as to what is going on here.

So let's take a step back for a second or two.

The general consensus is that Trump has done well because voters believe they have been taken for granted by their political masters. Politicians say one thing at election time and then once in office, do the exact opposite. 

So now after watching their guy cut and thrust his way to the Nomination, they see him saddle up to the 'enemy' and make lovey- dovey.

Do they see this to be the tactics of a traditional politician?

Frankly, dear Reader, I do not know - I am not American - nor am I a staunch supporter of his.  But it does cause me to reflect.

In the end, would it not be rich to see Trump fall into line like all those politicians before him.

He'll have some very disappointed supporters but probably ones that will not be all that surprised since that is all they have ever known.

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'

TARAXACUM ...aka...

THE  DANDELION.

I like these little critters - their pretty yellow tops gently blowing in the wind on a background of green grass - assuming the grass is visible.

My Wife Anne though hates them - as do apparently all of our neighbours and as likely most of you.

In fact, the whole neighbourhood is at war with these harmless yet valuable flowers ...okay weeds if you must.

And speaking of valuable, did you know that in China the Dandelion is used in some of their medicines.

Not only that, all parts of the Dandelion are edible and even can be used in the making of wine.

Bet your tulips can't compete with that.

Not surprisingly then, up until the 1800s, people would actually pull grass out of their lawns to make room for their dandelions.

That of course was then and this is now when everyone seems to be trying all manner of things to rid their yards of these cuties...including our neighbours and of course Anne. 

And now even me, with some gentle(?) shoves from my wife.

And in this ongoing . should I say near hopeless fight, Home Owners are paying $Billions of Dollars a year to rid their lawns of this most resilient flora:

• to lawn treatment companies*; and to,
• ubiquitous lawn treatments available at all local home stores and nurseries.**

*note: last year we hired a lawn maintenance company which promised all manner of things including its ability to deal effectively with the dreaded Lion.  Half way into the season, with no improvement showing, I asked their onsite weeder why the dandelions look healthier than ever - he replied "because we have nothing to kill them with - would hurt the environment ...don't you know."   

**note: this year I attended at a local well respected nursery and asked what if anything they had that would kill off the demon yellow. Their olde time employee just looked sympathetically into my eyes and said "zip...all you can do is dig each and everyone of them up being sure to include the plant's 2 foot root". 

In addition to that, when you check the Internet you will find a number of home remedies which may or may not work for I have not tried them.  They just seem to be so bizarre.

Two for instance- spray them with concentrated vinegar or with a concentrated salt solution.  I just don't see either of those working nor would I be sure how to properly apply them in any case.  If you on the other hand have had first hand experience in either of these home remedies or another other for that matter ... that have worked, please let me know and I will give it a try.

In the meantime, I along with my dedicated and most determined neighbours, are on our knees pulling them out - one dandelion at a time - with hopefully root attached*. 

*I'll let you in on a little secret though - you seldom if ever get much of the root and certainly never 2 feet worth. 

Hopefully what goes around comes around and one day soon we will once again follow the wisdom of our ancestors of the 1800s and let the Dandelion Flourish, ...As It Should. 

As I see it...

'K.D. Galagher'