Latest news with #IanMcLeod
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
MND widow welcomes assisted dying bill vote
A widow whose terminally ill husband died after refusing food and drink has welcomed a vote by MPs to back a bill that would legalise assisted dying. The Terminally Ill Adults Bill, which was approved with a majority of 23 votes on Friday, would allow terminally ill adults with six months or less to live to get medical assistance to end their own lives - if eligible. Pauline McLeod, from Sheriff Hutton near York, said her spouse Ian, who was living with motor neurone disease (MND), had found life "intolerable" before he died in 2023. She said the bill represented a "very, very positive change". Mrs McLeod said her late husband endured a "long and painful death" after refusing food and drink for three weeks. He had previously tried to take his own life in 2022. "It's not a peaceful, humane death that we would like for people," she said. Critics have argued the bill risks vulnerable people being coerced into ending their lives. Some peers have indicated they will attempt to amend the legislation to introduce more safeguards when it goes to the House of Lords for further scrutiny. Mrs McLeod said she believed law change would give terminally ill people "peace of mind". "A lot of people who are terminally ill are actually very frightened of what's going to happen to them," she added. "Even if they never take up the option of assisted dying, they will still feel that option is there, and that's going to be a huge comfort to them I would imagine." Under the proposals, mentally competent, terminally ill adults in England and Wales with a life expectancy of less than six months, would be eligible for an assisted death. "In a civilised society we should be allowed the chance of a humane, peaceful death," said Mrs McLeod, whose husband lived with symptoms of MND for three years. "It's not acceptable to allow people to die such agonizing and uncomfortable deaths." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Widow of MND sufferer calls for assisted dying Esther Rantzen urges Lords not to block assisted dying 'People should die naturally' - mixed views on new bill Assisted dying bill: What happens next?
BBC News
11 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
MND widow welcomes MPs vote on assisted dying bill
A widow whose terminally ill husband died after refusing food and drink has welcomed a vote by MPs to back a bill that would legalise assisted Terminally Ill Adults Bill, which was approved with a majority of 23 votes on Friday, would allow terminally ill adults with six months or less to live to get medical assistance to end their own lives - if McLeod, from Sheriff Hutton near York, said her spouse Ian, who was living with motor neurone disease (MND), had found life "intolerable" before he died in said the bill represented a "very, very positive change". Mrs McLeod said her late husband endured a "long and painful death" after refusing food and drink for three had previously tried to take his own life in 2022."It's not a peaceful, humane death that we would like for people," she have argued the bill risks vulnerable people being coerced into ending their peers have indicated they will attempt to amend the legislation to introduce more safeguards when it goes to the House of Lords for further scrutiny. 'Huge comfort' Mrs McLeod said she believed law change would give terminally ill people "peace of mind"."A lot of people who are terminally ill are actually very frightened of what's going to happen to them," she added."Even if they never take up the option of assisted dying, they will still feel that option is there, and that's going to be a huge comfort to them I would imagine."Under the proposals, mentally competent, terminally ill adults in England and Wales with a life expectancy of less than six months, would be eligible for an assisted death."In a civilised society we should be allowed the chance of a humane, peaceful death," said Mrs McLeod, whose husband lived with symptoms of MND for three years."It's not acceptable to allow people to die such agonizing and uncomfortable deaths." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Toronto Star
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Star
Justice Department cutting up to 264 jobs as it faces ‘budgetary pressures'
OTTAWA - The federal Department of Justice is set to lay off as many as 264 employees as it navigates what it calls 'significant budgetary pressures.' Ian McLeod, a spokesperson for the department, said in an email the department is taking 'difficult but necessary' steps to manage available resources, given ongoing budget pressures that 'can no longer be sustained.' He said 264 positions in the department 'may no longer be required' and that the employees in those roles were notified this week. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW McLeod said the department has implemented measures aimed at addressing budgetary pressures over the past year, including staffing restrictions. He said the department also underwent a 'thorough examination of its organizational structures' and identified opportunities for cost savings. McLeod said the affected positions were chosen based on 'functions and work that may not continue,' given the department's reduced budget. He said it's unlikely that all 264 positions will be eliminated. The number of federal public service jobs dropped by almost 10,000 in the past year, marking the first decrease since 2015. As of March 31, there were 357,965 people working for the federal government, down from 367,772 in 2024. Between 2024 and 2025, the Justice Department lost 29 workers, going from 5,637 to 5,608 employees. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Hundreds of workers in other federal organizations — like the Canada Revenue Agency, Employment and Social Development Canada and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada — have also been laid off recently. Prime Minister Mark Carney has promised to cap, not cut, the federal public service, but has not said what that cap would be. He has also promised to launch a 'comprehensive' review of government spending with the aim of increasing its productivity. McLeod said the Justice Department will keep taking 'proactive measures,' like staffing restrictions, careful prioritization of work and streamlining of functions across the department 'to minimize further impacts on staff as much as possible.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 6, 2025. Politics Headlines Newsletter Get the latest news and unmatched insights in your inbox every evening Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. Please enter a valid email address. Sign Up Yes, I'd also like to receive customized content suggestions and promotional messages from the Star. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Politics Headlines Newsletter You're signed up! You'll start getting Politics Headlines in your inbox soon. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page.
