Quebec's family physicians have been lobbying to get the right to put an end to patients' lives with doctor-assisted suicide for at least a few years now.

With this latest move, the PQ and CAQ are bowing to a very influential and wealthy segment of the population.

Quite frankly, it sends chills down my spine. Over the years, there have been a significant number of "miracle" cures, spontaneous remissions when a person who was in a coma or who was facing an almost certain death and in great pain suddenly became better and left the hospital. Any law which allows doctor-assisted suicide condemns these people to death since they will never live long enough to have that miracle cure.

I know, I know. People will say this is so rare that it's neglible. In my life, though, I have personally known of two such cases. In one of them, the fellow was nothing but skin and bones. He was so far gone and in such pain that the most powerful medications still left him in agony as well as dazed and confused. He wanted to die. The only thing that kept him from taking out his rifle and pulling the trigger was the idea of his son finding him like that and knowing his dad had committed suicide. So, instead he toughed it out.

One day, I met this man. He had no other options and so he agreed to let me pray for him and over him. Now, I'm no saint but I was all he had at that point. And so, I prayed over him and started a rosary novena. By the time I finished it, his doctor had called him up to tell him of a clinical trial for a new drug. This man was put on that trial and within less than a year was fully recovered with virtually no sign he had ever had the disease.

Today, he is still alive and well and taking care of his family, including his son.

My point is this: If we allow doctor-assisted suicide, then people like that man will very likely ask for it. They will be killed. And all hope of making a last-minute recovery and living their lives will disappear forever.

Doctor-assisted suicide is a choice we as a society should not make. If we do make it, yes, many people who are suffering with very painful, likely fatal illnesses will no longer have to suffer that physical pain. But the trade-off is frightening. The trade-off is that we will be killing people who would otherwise have healed on their own or been candidates for new medical treatments. And, to top it all off, we will be making killers of our doctors. To call it murder is inaccurate and ungracious but it will still be homocide.

Our physicians are healers, not killers. And when a person is very, very sick, the last gifts we can give them are our love and hope.

Doctor-assisted suicide would snuff out lives - and it would snuff out hope.

My friend is still alive today because he did not have recourse to doctor-assisted suicide.

Please, please don't kill people like my friend.