RARC's Proposal for Meaningful Choice
In 2000, the Representation Agreement Act was proclaimed with all-party
support. This Act provides British Columbians with a comprehensive, safe and effective way to plan for the future. For the first time, BC citizens have a legal tool for health and personal care planning.
However, over the years some health authorities have lobbied for advance directive legislation. And, some health authorities have been promoting and helping people to complete advance directives. This has given advance directives special status in the minds of many health professionals. Representation Agreements, although law for six years, have not received this kind of support. This unequal status must be corrected.
Over 200 community groups expressed concern when in April 2006, the provincial government introduced Bill 32, Adult Guardianship and Personal Planning Statutes Amendment Act, which includes advance directive legislation.
In May 2006, the government announced it would not proceed with Bill 32 in the spring legislative session. The Attorney General says this will allow for further discussion.
Over the summer, the Representation Agreement Resource Centre (RARC) studied Bill 32 in depth.
RARC proposes a plan to clarify the place of advance directive legislation in relation to Representation Agreements. It offers British Columbians the opportunity to make a meaningful and informed choice.
This means:
1. Bill 32 must be amended to further streamline the Representation Agreement process, to enact supporting legislation and policies and to ensure that Representation Agreements supersede advance directives.
2. Resources must be invested in community-based public and professional education that will enable Representation Agreements to be well known and easily accessible.
3. A community-government partnership must be established with the goal of planning, implementing and monitoring the legislative and policy framework for personal planning. This would help ensure a transparent and cooperative planning and implementation process.
To read RARC's proposal:
Click
here for Executive Summary, 9 pages
Click here for
detailed version, with legislative references, 20 pages
Also of interest:
Click
here to read Transition magazine's Fall 2006 edition on this issue
690 KB, approx. 2 minutes, 9 seconds at 56.6Kbps
Click here to read the BC Association for Community Living policy on Advanced Health Care Directives
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