The society, which operates the 10-bed Irene Thomas Hospice – seen here in Delta, B.C., on Dec. 20, 2019 – has declined to provide medical assistance in dying on site despite being required to under local rules.DARRYL DYCK/The Globe and Mail
A B.C. hospice society under fire for refusing to provide medical assistance in dying is doubling down on its position, moving to become a Christian organization and explicitly prohibit the procedure.
The Delta Hospice Society has called a general meeting and mail-in ballot for June 15 so members can vote on a revised constitution “that will formally affirm our heritage and identity.”
Last week, the provincial government notified the society it would stop funding the facility next year as a result of the refusal to offer medical assistance in dying (MAID). The hospice is located on property owned by the publicly funded Fraser Health Authority.
A May 22 letter from society president Angelina Ireland to members said “it has become apparent that many affirm the position that we, as a hospice and palliative care organization, should stay true to our founding principles which protects the most vulnerable from euthanasia.”
The letter continued: “It has also become obvious that we must return to our roots and fully affirm our Christian identity.”
The society, which operates the 10-bed Irene Thomas Hospice, has declined to provide MAID on site despite being required to under local rules. In British Columbia, faith-based facilities are not required to provide the end-of-life procedure, but are expected to provide referrals and transport to those who want the provision. Irene Thomas Hospice is not officially a faith-based facility.
In February, B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix threatened to pull the society’s funding from the health authority – about $1.5-million annually, or about 94 per cent of its operating costs – if the hospice failed to comply. He followed through on the threat last week, announcing funding would end on Feb. 25, 2021, having provided the required notice to end the service agreement without clause.
“This decision to end this contract is final and will not change,” Mr. Dix said in a statement.
In an interview, Ms. Ireland said the society’s intention is to protect palliative care, which has its roots in Christian moral principles. The revised constitution lists one of the society’s purposes as providing compassionate care to people until the end of their natural lives.
“We are very authentic about the work that we do, and we’re very proud of it,” Ms. Ireland said. “We are trying very hard to protect our tradition.”
It’s unclear what will happen to the Irene Thomas Hospice when the contract is cancelled. The province could take it over, or the society could potentially keep operating it with its own sources of funding. The society is only 10 years into a 35-year lease, Ms. Ireland said.
Delta North MLA Ravi Kahlon said his inbox and social-media streams have been flooded with messages from constituents on the matter.
“The issue has hit a nerve with people in my entire community. There are a lot of upset people. A lot of people raised money to have this service available, people served as volunteers."
Adding to the tension is the fact that many people who wanted a say in the matter in recent months had their membership applications for the society rejected without reason. Last year, a membership drive from supporters of hospice founder and former executive director Nancy Macey brought in hundreds of new members; membership has since grown to 1,500 from fewer than 200.
Ms. Ireland said most hospice societies only have around 50 members, and that it was becoming unwieldy and expensive to co-ordinate meetings.
“We have accepted as many as we possibly could,” she said. “We are absolutely inundated.”
Delta Mayor George Harvie said it was “shameful” that the community hospice “is being subjected to this takeover by a special interest group,” and particularly so during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The mass rejection of memberships from dedicated community members, including past and present hospice staff and volunteers, is simply wrong,” Mr. Harvie said in a May 28 statement.
“There is total agreement amongst us that we cannot let the intolerable actions of the current board go on. The Hospice was funded, built on public land, to provide an end-of-life facility in Delta.
The mayor said city staff will be providing him briefing notes regarding the commencement of an investigation, but did not provide details on the investigation’s objectives. Mr. Harvie did not respond to a request for comment.
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