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The beauty of life

001-Claude-Canal-and-GGD-MatildaPaul’s father, Claude Canal, 93, with great-granddaughter Matilda

Councillor Paul Canal shares his personal reflections on the moral dilemmas of assisted dying, the unpredictable beauty of life and the need to prioritise compassionate care over premature endings

Four years ago, the Wanstead Village Directory published a thoughtful article exploring the complexities of assisted dying. Among those mentioned was Paul Lamb, whose courage and story touched many. Sadly, Paul passed away just over a year later. Since then, the debate around assisted dying has persisted, culminating in a narrow vote by MPs in favour of the Assisted Dying Bill.

Recently, I was profoundly moved by the correspondence between Fr Martin Boland of Our Lady of Lourdes and Calvin Bailey MP. Fr Martin shared the story of his sister, who, under the proposed criteria, would have qualified for assisted dying. Yet, she went on to live another 12 years, embracing countless cherished moments with her family. This story resonates deeply, highlighting the unpredictable beauty of life.

In January 2024, my own father was placed in end-of-life care. Frail and in severe distress, he refused food, water and medication. By the standards of this proposed legislation, he, too, would have qualified for assisted dying – or, as Fr Boland aptly described it, “being killed.” Yet, to our immense delight, he made an extraordinary recovery. As I write this, he is preparing to spend Christmas surrounded by his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, a gift none of us could have anticipated.

At the heart of this debate lies a profound moral question: what is the state’s role in preserving and improving life and should it ever have a hand in prematurely ending it?

While advocates of the bill point to ‘safeguards’, I remain deeply unconvinced. Safeguards, however well-intentioned, are inherently fallible. I fear family or societal pressures – on those whose lives may be deemed less ‘viable’ or ‘worthwhile’ – could subtly coerce individuals toward an earlier death. What begins as a trickle of tragic cases, limited to those in insufferable distress, could, over time, become a flood. As the costs of care rise and resources strain, the pressure to view assisted dying as a solution may grow.

One point of consensus across this debate is the undeniable inadequacy of access to high-quality palliative care in many parts of the UK. We do not need to legalise the deliberate ending of life by the state. Instead, we need to invest in systems and resources that affirm the value of life – even in its most vulnerable stages. My father’s story, like that of Fr Martin’s sister, reminds us that life, even in its frailty, can still hold profound joy and meaning.

To legalise assisted dying is to open a door that cannot easily be closed. Instead, let us work to close the gaps in care, ensuring no one is left to suffer unnecessarily. True compassion lies not in ending life prematurely, but in supporting it fully, to its natural end.


Paul Canal is a Wanstead resident and Leader of the Conservative Group on Redbridge Council. Visit wnstd.com/canal

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