Rotary Club of Regina

Meeting Notes

2 February 2026 at noon at the Delta Hotel

The meeting was called to order by President Russell. Our guest was Dr. Sade Ogendare

Land Acknowledgement 

   President Russell said we are all Treaty 4 people and will be guided by the Four Way Test

Oh Canada

    Led by President Russell

Blessing 

  By Carole Bryant

Presentation by George Carson

   The topic was Medical Aid in Dying. This is legal in Canada after a Supreme Court decision in 2015 that the prohibition violated Charter rights and was cruel. This led to legislation. Bill C-14 amended the Criminal Code to make MAiD legal starting in July 2016 if criteria are met and for “reasonably foreseeable natural death.” The requirements, all of which must be met, are:

Age 18 or more

Has health insurance in Canada

Is a voluntary request without pressure

Is competent or capable to make decisions for the patient’s own health care

Has a disease which is “grievous and irremediable” i.e. bad and cannot be cured by a method acceptable to the patient

Has a decline in function

Causes suffering that is intolerable for the patient

Then 2 patients in Quebec with severe disease and suffering which would not cause death appealed and the Court of Appeal found their situation violated the Charter. This led to further legislation Bill C-7 with further amendments to the Criminal Code so there is Track 1, with reasonably foreseeable death and Track 2 without that, but with a required minimum 90 days wait and safeguards for efforts to relieve suffering. 

MAiD is now the mechanism of death in about 4.7 % of Canadian deaths and a little smaller proportion in Saskatchewan. Of these about 5% are Track 2. The cause of the deaths is not MAiD but the disease which led to eligibility.

MAiD is able to relieve suffering for those who are eligible and choose it. It also gives control of something to people who do have control of very much.

Installation of New Member

            Jill Watson, who works at city hall in strategic planning, and belongs to Toast Masters, was sponsored by Russell Hart and was welcomed to our Club and instilled as a member by President Russell

Announcements, by President Russell

• There was mini-golf as a social event on 28 January.
• There will be Service at Souls Harbour on 19 February from 4 to 6 PM
• The Assistant District Governor role will be re-instituted in our District 5550. Al Goudie will be one of these
• There are available positions on the District Literacy Committee and the World Peacr Committee. If interested please tell President Rusell
• Donations: At the Christmas appeal members gave $6,310 and the Club gave $2,000. We then donated from the Community Fund $10,000 to Souls Harbour
• EDI. Rotary International changed the name of the EDI Committee to Involvement. This appeared to be acquiesce with US political pressure.  District 5550 objected to this and our Club Board supported the District in this

Birthdays

   Brian Hardy

    Stewart Graham

Anniversaries

   None 

50/50

  Carole Bryant drew the winning card for a pot of $409.

Next Meetings

   With Rotary Eastview 19 February

   Rotary Club of Regina 2 March

Four Way Test

   By Carole Bryant

Adjournment