The annual general meeting for the Delta Hospice Society (DHS) concluded last Saturday with the membership rejecting Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD).
According to a news release from the society, of its more than 14,000 members, 76 per cent voted in favour while only 24 per cent voted against. There were approx. 5,200 members who attended the AGM, many of which who reside outside of Delta.
“Today marks a historic day for our society and for all Canadians who endorse life-affirming palliative care,” said DHS president Angelina Ireland, who was one of 10 board members re-elected.
The DHS has been involved in legal issues for the past two years, when members of the board refused to offer MAiD at the Irene Thomas Hospice, which was then operated by the DHS.
Several former DHS directors and others then started the group Take Back Delta Hospice, which fought the DHS for control.
They also formed the Heron Hospice Society, which is offering hospice services in the community through online programming.
Also at odds has been the millions in assets of the DHS and the charity thrift shop, which DHS operates in Tsawwassen.
Following the legal challenges, Fraser Health assumed operating control last year of the Irene Thomas Hospice and the adjacent Harold and Veronica Savage Centre for Supportive Care. Recently, Fraser Health announced that the Delta Hospital and Community Health Foundation would be the charitable arm of Irene Thomas Hospice.
Since it lost its provincial funding, the DHS has been providing online services and a 1-800 palliative care help line.
The AGM started on Saturday, March 26, but was impacted by technical issues, which forced the meeting to be halted and re-scheduled for Saturday April 2.
More technical issues also impacted the second meeting.
Jim Levin, a member of Take Back Delta Hospice, who along with several others put their names forward at the AGM unsuccessfully to become DHS board members, says the inconsistent performance of the meeting platform compromised the membership’s ability to participate effectively.
“Our community has invested so much time and energy into trying to take back DHS and return the $4 million dollars in assets and income for DHS to restore supportive care,” said Levin. “We thank those who signed up and did the best they could to participate. Delta citizens helped to provide this Charity Shoppe facility and donated and volunteered their time there because they believe in supporting each other in times of grief and bereavement. Our community deserved much better treatment from this board.”
Levin said Take Back Delta Hospice is receiving complaints in the hundreds about the difficulties people experienced at the AGM.
“The chair neglected to provide all attendance and voting information, so we are having all the irregularities checked,” he said.
Ireland acknowledged the technical issues, but points out that many others had no issues and were able to participate in the AGM fully.
Opponents of the current DHS leadership have also complained that many members from outside Delta, including from across Canada, signed on to be members to push the board’s agenda.
“The whole issue is where this organization [Delta Hospice Society] goes in the future and that is what we needed to establish,” she told the Optimist. “The highest court of B.C., when we were taken to court, ruled that everybody who gave us a $10 membership fee is a member. The court ruling established the Delta Hospice Society as a national organization. We have done nothing but follow the letter of the law.”
She says the DHS, in the future, wants to create another palliative care facility.
“This is a good thing. There is nothing wrong with providing more care spaces. There has been a lot of misinformation to rile people up and poison people against the organization,” she said. “If you don’t want to be a part of a palliative care organization, then that is fine. You have an option of the Heron Hospice Society. We are not bothering them and we don’t intend to. We are trying to push forward with a vision as a service organization and all services are open to all in Delta that want to be a part of a palliative care organization.”
