A father’s controversial decision to end his daughter’s life ignited a legal and ethical firestorm that shook Canada to its core. Tracy Latimer, a young girl living with one of the most severe forms of cerebral palsy, endured relentless pain and suffering. In 1993, her father, Robert Latimer, took her life, calling it an act of mercy—but was it?
This episode delves deep into the case that divided a nation. Was Robert’s decision murder, mercy, or something in between? From the harrowing details of Tracy’s life to the courtroom battles that reached Canada’s highest court, we’ll explore every angle: Robert’s rationale, the impassioned voices of disability rights advocates, and the public’s conflicted response.
Prepare to confront some of the hardest questions of morality, justice, and empathy. Would you call this justice served—or a miscarriage of it? And if faced with the same choice, what would you do?
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CITATIONS:
"Robert Latimer Case." The Canadian Encyclopedia, link.
"Tracy Latimer: 25 Years Later." Inclusion Canada, 24 Oct. 2018, link.
"Robert Latimer: 25 Years Later." CBC News, 20 Nov. 2019, link.
"Robert Latimer Asks for a Pardon." CBC News, 11 July 2018, link.
"Robert Latimer Still Defends Killing Daughter." CBC News, 13 Oct. 2011, link.
"Latimer Convicted Again." The Canadian Encyclopedia, link.Hansen, Emma.
"Robert Latimer: 25 Years of Debate." Regina Leader-Post, archived at Web Archive, 21 Feb. 2009, link.
"Robert Latimer Denied Early Parole." CTV News, archived at Web Archive, 21 Sept. 2006, link.
Perlez, Jane. "Father’s Killing of Canadian Girl: Mercy or Murder?" The New York Times, 1 Dec. 1997, link.
"Latimer Decision Sparks Debate." The Globe and Mail, archived at Archive.ph, 5 Dec. 2007, link.
"Latimer Appeals Denial of Early Parole." CBC News, 22 Oct. 2008, link."Robert Latimer Appeals Parole Board Decision." Toronto Star, 22 Oct. 2008, link.
"Public Opinion on the Latimer Case." Ipsos NA, archived at Web Archive, 27 Sept. 2007, link.
"Latimer Case Factum." Council of Canadians with Disabilities, archived at Web Archive, 10 Feb. 2007, link.
"The Latimer Case: A National Debate." Maclean’s, archived at Web Archive, 5 Jan. 2008, link.