4 News Nicole Halseth News Editor t is getting to be that time of year again: a time for remembrance, commemoration, and reflection. This process sta rted early in Prince George this year, as cadets in the Rocky Mountain Rangers 2618 placed Canadian flags by graves of veterans in Memorial Park Cemetery on 19 October. According to an article on the Prince George Citizen website, these flags are meant to “commemorate the service of Prince George's veterans ahead of Remembrance Day.’ In the article, Cadet Master Cpl. Jordan Morrell had this to say on the matter: “lt means a lot to me. It reminds us why exactly we do what we do,” and “it brings us closer to those who did sacrifice their lives. Some of us are pursuing a military occupation, so this is sort of special because of that.” The purpose of the flags goes beyond this as well. According to Officer Cadet Gary Archibald, it is especially important to remind the younger generations of the sacrifices and contributions of Canadian soldiers and military personnel as veterans from the Second World War and the Korean War are growing older, and may not be able to speak about their experiences first hand for much longer. Additionally, in the article, Archibald states that “it brings up their awareness of part of what the cadet movement is all about. Some of the younger cadets don't have a feelling] of what remembrance means,’ and “anything we can do to improve that is good.” For some of these cadets, placing flags on the gravestones had additional meaning, as members of their families are buried there after doing service with the Canadian military. The cadet corps is also expected to take part in the Remembrance Day parade this year, as well as participate in other Remembrance Day events. This early act of commemoration touched more than just the cadets who placed the flags. According to Memorial Park Cemetery caretaker Linda Wilson, the cemetery is happy to help with honouring residents of Prince George who have given so much for their country. In the article, she states “we get some people who come and Early Remembrance in Prince George look for markers lof veteran's gravest. we feel it's important that people don't forget.” Remembrance Day in Canada means a great deal to many people, for any number of reasons. For some, it is a personal connection through a family member who served, for others, the various wars in which Canadians fought and touched their lives in other ways. There are those who cherish this day for its evocation of national pride, and others who like it simply for the festivities. Though we may not know individual's reasons for engaging with this day of remembrance, the fact that it means so much to so many people means that it foo, cannot be forgotten or disregarded. The efforts by these cadets mark the start of a public process of commemoration, and are appreciated. If you wish to engage more with Remembrance Day this year, local ceremonies will open at 10 am at the Prince George Civic Centre, followed by a parade to the Cenotaph at City Hall. BC Ban on Doctor-Assisted Suicide Continues Tyson Kelsall Culture Editor Acres topic at best, physician-assisted suicide will continue to have an outright ban in British Columbia after the province's Court of Appeal affirmed the law on 10 October 2013. One year ago, the late Gloria Taylor won a breakthrough case in BC’s Supreme Court where it was stated to be unconstitutional that assisted suicide was made illegal. The ban, according to Justice lynn Smith, was discriminatory against people with physical disabilities in relation to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In other words, it was impossible for Miss Taylor to end her own life, as she was suffering from ALS (Amyotrphic Lateral Sclerosis), while an able-bodied person could. Gloria Taylor herself passed away from an illness before needing the aid of a doctor. The federal government immediately appealed the BC Supreme Court ruling, and it was sent to the BC Court of Appeal. The federal government claimed that the law against assisted- suicide helps to protect vulnerable people, and in the end, the Court of Appeal agreed in what was a very tense decision. At this point, the case is expected to make its way to the Canadian Supreme Court. In 1993, the Canadian Supreme Court was brought a similar case from Victoria-resident Sue Rodriguez who, like Taylor, suffered from the effects of ALS. It was also a very close decision, and ended with a split 5 to 4 rejection. Some argue that having an absolute ban causes more suffering to the patient. Currently, it is legal to commit suicide, but illegal to have aid. So, the worry becomes that people with ALS and other disabling diseases could try to end their own life, but fail to do so and put themselves in a situation of more suffering. Also, with such strong regulations without loopholes, at least one person, Kay Carter, has flown to Switzerland to legally have her life ended. Rodriguez considered travelling down to California, but in 1993 the state proposition to allow assisted-suicide was struck down, and so she stayed in British Columbia and focused her energy on putting an end to the law there. From this viewpoint, perhaps the solution is to offer some protection, but in severe cases where the individual feels helpless and the medical observations are in accordance, it could be opened up for discussion. On a more critical level, those who want assisted suicide argue that it is ultimately the decision of the individual should they wish to end their life. They question whether it is reasonable for others to make that decision, and they support people like Taylor and Rodriguez who were unquestionably living a life of misery once the effects of ALS started to take over their lives. On the other side of the argument is the opinion that it would give doctors too much authority, as well as potentially opening up the door to interpretations of appropriate times fo enact the right-to-die. One advocacy group against assisted- suicide, the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, argues that, “depression is the most common factor in requests for assisted suicide. Depression can be diagnosed and treated successfully.” It is also often brought up that miracle recoveries sometimes occur; so in that sense, assisted-suicide is on the same playing field as homicide, and currently Canadian law agrees with that, making no clear distinction between euthanasia, suicide, or homicide, but only the reasons behind how it occurred. Lastly, some religious groups oppose assisted-suicide because it goes against their faith. For example, ‘pikuach nefesh’ is one of the most important rules in Judaism, it means to ‘save alll life; according to the Torah each individual life is seen as having infinite value regardless of the wishes of the patient. Currently in North America, there are three states where it is legal: Washington, Oregon and Vermont. In Canada it will undoubtedly remain hotly contested for the foreseeable future. In British Columbia, it has certainly been a turbulent case, where assisted-suicide went from finally being legal, to being repealed within a year. Is it a progressive stance to give people power over their lives, or will the deregulation cause more harm than good? Tell us your opinion on Facebook at Over the Edge Newspaper.