Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC) is a non-profit organization that opposes euthanasia and assisted suicide in the world. It was founded by Alex Schadenberg, Dr. Barrie DeVeber and Jean Echlin in July 1998. Its headquarters are in London, Ontario, Canada.
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Initiatives
In November 2012, the EPC started a project called “Declaration of Hope” with the help of another non-profit organization, HOPE Australia. The groups sent letters to all Canadian parliamentarians explaining why euthanasia and assisted suicide should not be legal, and the threats to society that would manifest if such a law were passed. Anyone can sign the online petition.
Publications
EPC published the following pamphlets: Protecting People from Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide; Euthanasia Paper; and Caring Not Killing. EPC’s executive director Alex Schadenberg published a book called Exposing Vulnerable People to Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide.
Legal cases
Euthanasia Prevention Coalition intervened for the first time following the attempted euthanasia of a disabled child in Niagara Falls in 2001. EPC organized petitions against the following bills: Bill C-407 in 2005; Bill C-562 in 2008; and Bill C-384 in 2009. EPC was granted intervention status in three court cases in Canada: Hawryluck v. Scardoni in 2004; Rasouli v. Sunnybrook Health Services Center in 2011; and Carter v. Canada (AG) in 2012.