Tracy Latimer was twelve years old and severely disabled. She had cerebral palsy, couldn’t walk or talk, and lived in constant pain. On the morning of Sunday, October 24th, 1993, her mother, Laura, prepared to take the other children to church in Wilkie, Saskatchewan. Tracy’s father, Robert, stayed behind on the farm with Tracy. What happened that morning would spark a national debate about euthanasia, mercy killing, and the rights of people with disabilities that would divide Canada for decades to come.
Sources:
The Leader-Post, 5 November, 1993 – “Father Charged in Death of Daughter”
The Leader-Post, 10 November, 1993 – “Wilkie Man’s Bail Hearing Adjourned”
Star-Phoenix, 12 November, 1993 – “Man Charged”
Star-Phoenix, 13 November, 1993 – “Murder Suspect”
The Leader-Post, 24 November, 1993 – “New Lawyer for Father”
Star-Phoenix, 20 December, 1993 – “Community Shows Support”
The Hamilton Spectator, 7 November, 1994 – “Father Goes on Trial”
The Globe and Mail, 8 November, 1994 – “Father Accused”
The Toronto Star, 7 November, 1994 – “Dad Faces Trial”
The London Free Press, 9 November, 1994 – “Justice”
The Leader-Post, 9 November, 1994 – “Girl Was Severely Disabled”
The Globe and Mail, 9 November, 1994 – “Mercy Killing”
The Ottawa Citizen, 10 November, 1994 – “Court Told Father”
Star-Phoenix, 10 November, 1994 – “Tracy Latimer’s Quality of Life”
Calgary Herald, 11 November, 1994 – “Wife May Testify”
The Vancouver Sun, 15 November, 1994 – “Wife of Accused”
The Leader-Post, 16 November, 1994 – “Defence Says Dad”
Calgary Herald, 17 November, 1994 – “It’s Murder”
The Hamilton Spectator, 18 November, 1994 – “Consensus Unlikely”
The Kingston Whig, 18 November, 1994 – “Murder Verdict”
The Toronto Sun, 20 November, 1994 – “Heartbreak”
The Hamilton Spectator, 26 November, 1994 – “Latimer Released”
The Hamilton Spectator, 28 November, 1994 – “Latimer Buoyed”
Waterloo Region Record, 3 January, 1995 – “Disabled Rights Group”
Waterloo Region Record, 3 January, 1995 – “Petitions Call for Lower Sentence”
The Kingstone Whig-Standard, 20 February, 1995 – “Jury Instruction”
The Hamilton Spectator, 24 February, 1995 – “Acquit Latimer”
Akron Beacon Journal, 19 July, 1995 – “Convicted Father”
The Hamilton Spectator, 19 July, 1995 – “Latimer Starts Jail”
The Hamilton Spectator, 26 October, 1995 – “Killer Dad Hopes”
The London Free Press, 7 February, 1995 – “Supreme Court”
The Standard, 27 October, 1997 – “Jury to Tackle Dilemma”
The Guardian, 28 October, 1997 – “Latimer Admitted”
The Guardian, 4 November, 1997 – “Mom Wished Daughter’s Death”
Associated Press, 6 November, 1997 – “Farmer Guilty”
The Standard, 7 November, 1997 – “Latimer will Fight”
Associated Press, 1 December, 1997 – “Judge Gives”
The Toronto Star, 9 December, 1997 – “Latimer Motivated by Compassion”
The Record, 18 December, 1997 – “Crown to Appeal”
Contra Costa Times, 4 January, 1998 – “A Case of Compassionate Murder”
The Edmonton Sun, 23 November, 1998 – “Latimer Awaits Appeal”
The Edmonton Sun, 24 November, 1998 – “Latimer Must do Hard Time”
Daily Herald Tribune, 15 June, 2000 – “Latimer’s Fate”
UPI, 18 Janaury, 2001 – “Latimer Must Serve”
The Review, 19 January, 2001 – “High Court Quashes”
The Peterborough Examiner, 14 March, 2001 – “Offers to Share”
The Daily Herald Tribune, 6 December, 2007 – “Latimer Denied Parole”
Cape Breton Post, 28 February, 2008 – “Sask. Farmer”
The Telegram, 2 December, 2010 – “Parole Board Bans”
