Matters of church and state appear poised to collide in the corridors of a Vancouver Island hospital.

And it really is a question of life and death.

On one side you have the Catholic church, owners of St. JosephB次元官网网址檚 Hospital in Comox, which says the facilityB次元官网网址檚 rejection of doctor-assisted death on its premises is a matter of faith and should be allowed to stand on those grounds.

On the other side you have a Comox doctor and his supporters who say assisted suicide is now a court-mandated right, one that Canadians should be able to access in all publicly funded hospitals.

And sitting ringside is Island Health, which is prepared to support St. JosephB次元官网网址檚 in its position, at least until politically ordered to do otherwise.

B次元官网网址淚f an Island Health facility such as a religiously-affiliated hospital does not want to perform the service, we will work with the facility, patient, family, care providers and others in finding alternative locations and providers,B次元官网网址� the health authority said in a statement released Friday to Black Press.

The Supreme Court legalized doctor-assisted suicide in a will go into effect in June of this year.

As the federal government works on massaging that ruling into law, Comox general practitioner Dr. Jonathan Reggler is lobbying hard to make sure that law applies to hospitals across the board.

He believes leaving a loophole for faith-based institutions will create inequities for smaller communities like the Comox Valley that are only served by a single, faith-based hospital. He predicts patients being transported away from their families to hospitals in Campbell River or Nanaimo, and their care turned over to an unfamiliar team of doctors and nurses, when there is no good medical reason to do so.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 something rather disturbing that we can boot someone because it doesnB次元官网网址檛 suit the doctrine of the hospital,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭his is not about church-bashing. There is no place for a faith-based organization to assert its will over the Charter of Rights.B次元官网网址�

St. JosephB次元官网网址檚 CEO Jane Murphy said her organization is awaiting legislative guidance, but the views of the church are clear.

B次元官网网址淲e canB次元官网网址檛 speculate as to the finer points of what the legislation may look like. Our position on physician-assisted death is consistent with the Catholic Health Care Ethical Guidelines, and St. JosephB次元官网网址檚 will not be providing or promoting physician-assisted death,B次元官网网址� she said in a prepared statement. B次元官网网址淲e are hopeful that legislation will respect the diverse perspectives on physician-assisted death.B次元官网网址�

Reggler said the lawmakers and the policy makers need to recognize that even though the church owns the hospitalB次元官网网址檚 bricks and mortar, it serves a larger community. He said just 12 per cent of the community is Catholic, while 87 per cent of British Columbians support doctor-assisted suicide.

And while St. JosephB次元官网网址檚 is Vancouver IslandB次元官网网址檚 only Catholic hospital, the Comox situation is repeated in many communities across Canada and affects several big city hospitals as well.

He said he supportB次元官网网址檚 the of the federal committee drafting the new law and encourages Vancouver Islanders to lobby their MPs directly and through the website to see them adopted.

B次元官网网址淭he whole point of what IB次元官网网址檓 doing is that it is crucial that all publicly funded hospitals be required to provide this service,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭he hospital would prohibit it unless ordered otherwise.

Murphy said the hospital remains committed to providing exemplary care to those nearing the end of their lives.

B次元官网网址淲e will continue to emphasize compassionate end-of-life care through palliative and hospice care approaches and we will work within the legislative framework that is developed,B次元官网网址� she said.

Reggler agreed that the end-of-life care provided at St. JosephB次元官网网址檚 is excellent, but said there is an opportunity to here to make it better that should not be missed.

B次元官网网址淲e will have in this community a few people who will die at St. JosephB次元官网网址檚 in pain and distress and they did not need to. And it will happen.B次元官网网址�

Island Health statement on how it plans to deal with Vancouver Island-based doctor-assisted suicide requests prior to June

B次元官网网址淒uring the interim period before the federal government brings in legislation later this spring, the courts will ensure appropriate safeguards are in place if someone was to seek a physician-assisted death. No physician can engage in assisted dying unless there is an exemption granted by court order.

B次元官网网址淚n addition, both the B.C. Courts and the College of Physicians and Surgeons have published guidelines regarding safe and appropriate access to physician-assisted death during the interim period. These include requirements that two physicians submit evidence as part of a court application and that physicians must have the appropriate skills, training and competencies to carry out this service.

B次元官网网址淚n the event health authorities, including Island Health, became aware of an application for a physician-assisted death in our facilities, we would liaise with the Ministry of Health and follow processes set out by the courts, the college, the Ministry and any other regulatory agencies.B次元官网网址�