Gloria Taylor

Gloria Taylor (March 30, 1948 – October 4, 2012 ) was a Canadian who was an advocate of medically-assisted dying and suffered from Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Taylor began to experience the early symptoms of ALS in 2003. A neurologist diagnosed her disease in 2009.

On June 29, 2011, Taylor filed an application with the Supreme Court of British Columbia asking to be added as a plaintiff in the BC Civil Liberties Association's (BCCLA) death with dignity lawsuit. The BCCLA had filed the lawsuit in April 2011 to challenge the laws that make it a criminal offense to assist seriously and incurably ill individuals to die with dignity. The legal challenge seeks to allow seriously and incurably ill, mentally competent adults the right to receive medical assistance to hasten death under certain specific safeguards. This case is known as Carter v Canada (AG).

Life Taylor was a postal worker, residential care worker, motorbike enthusiast and health advocate. She was born in Trail, British Columbia and raised in Castlegar.

Taylor’s dream of legal change for herself and all Canadians was realized in June when the B.C. Supreme Court ruled that the right to die with dignity is protected by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and granted Taylor a personal exemption allowing her the right to seek a physician-assisted death. The case was a major victory for choice and individual rights at the end of life.

Mme Justice Jo-Ann Prowse of the BC Court of Appeal ruled against the federal government on August 10, 2012 and in favour of Taylor's personal exemption, saying that revoking Taylor's exemption would cause irreparable harm to Taylor, which outweighs the federal government's interests. This exemption allows Taylor to seek doctor-assisted suicide under certain conditions. The decision can be found here.

Death On October 4, 2012, Taylor died as a result of a severe infection resulting from a perforated colon. Due to the acute nature and brief course of her illness from the infection, Taylor did not need to seek the assistance of a physician to end her life. Taylor died in hospital, with her mother and a close friend by her side.