A Dutch cardinal warned Canadian bishops about the "slippery slope" of euthanasia, which has been legal in the Netherlands since 2002.
At first, only those at end of life with unbearable physical illness had access to euthanasia at their request, said Cardinal Willem Eijk of Utrecht.
Then people with mental illness had access. Then people with dementia who had made an advanced request could be euthanised; then people who had not made requests were euthanised, he explained.
The Dutch also have allowed euthanasia of children, though most of the time handicapped children are killed in utero through abortion, he said.
