Statement made on 29 April 2009 by Senator Sharon Carstairs (retired)
Hon. Sharon Carstairs:
Honourable senators, National Hospice Palliative Care Week 2009 takes place from May 3 to May 9 and is a time to celebrate, recognize and share the achievements of hospice palliative care throughout the nation and to raise awareness of hospice palliative care.
The national Hike for Hospice will kick off the week on Sunday with hikes occurring across the country. This year's theme is "Hospice palliative care: a human right." It recognizes that all Canadians should have access to quality end-of-life care.
It is estimated that 37 per cent of Canadians now have access to hospice palliative care, a marked improvement since 1995 when the Senate learned through its study on euthanasia and assisted suicide that only 5 per cent of Canadians had access to integrated quality end-of-life care. That is the good news.
The bad news is that 63 per cent of Canadians still do not have access to quality end-of-life care.
We must use opportunities such as Palliative Care Week to continue to promote hospice palliative care so that all Canadians can have access to it.
Recently, the Special Senate Committee on Aging reported that it is important to allow people to age in the place of their choice. It is also important to provide the right services to allow people to die in the place of their choice. Palliative care services are a key component of providing the care that is needed, at the time and place that it is needed. Palliative care also means ensuring that the compassionate care benefit under Employment Insurance makes it possible for Canadians to be with their gravely ill and dying family members for a sufficient number of weeks to provide the care that is required. It should be the right of every Canadian.