Fall Lecture Registration

Speaking from a legal, academic and personal perspective David Shannon and Dr. Ramona Coelho address many of the underlying causes of the recent exponential rise in MAiD cases and its implications for the disability community and medical practice.

David Shannon is a member of the Law Society of Ontario practicing health law in Thunder Bay, ON. Shannon has won numerous prestigious awards and honours, such as the Order of Ontario and the Order of Canada for his work advancing the rights of disabled persons and other minority groups in Canada and abroad. He is co-editor of the book Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) in Canada: Critical Multi-Disciplinary Perspectives, Springer Nature.

Dr. Ramona Coelho is a family physician in London, ON whose practice largely cares for marginalized persons. Dr. Coelho is a senior fellow with Macdonald Laurier Institute. She has testified before Parliament and has been published in newspapers and journals laying out the dangers of legal euthanasia. She is co-editor of the upcoming book, Unravelling MAiD in Canada: Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide as Medical Care, McGill University Press.

David Shannon and Dr. Ramona Coelho are members of the MAiD Death Review Committee. In collaboration with the Office of the Chief Coroner, they offer multidisciplinary expertise in the review of MAiD deaths in Ontario to assist in public safety concerns.

Speaking from a medical and bioethics perspective, Dr. Paul Zeni and Bob Parke discuss the many strengths of palliative care including opportunity for legacy, individualized support, and grief counseling. Dr. Zeni contrasts the broad scope of palliative care potential against the real side of MAiD – what MAiD doesn’t provide. Parke highlights the importance of advance care planning as the gift you give yourself, your loved ones, and the healthcare team.

Dr. Paul Zeni is a family physician in Georgetown, ON. He shares a family practice with his wife, Dr. Deborah Zeni, and together they provide medical care for all ages—including prenatal care and palliative care.

Bob Parke is a bioethicist in Toronto, ON with a keen interest in the everyday ethical issues of transitions and care planning. He has been involved in palliative care throughout his career and spent many years as a bioethicist at Humber River Hospital. Bob is involved in a provincial initiative to improve palliative care for individuals with intellectual disabilities.