The Vancouver Public Library has cancelled a workshop that was organized by Exit International on suicide for the terminally ill. (Mike Laanela/CBC)

The Vancouver Public Library has told an Australian group that it can't use the library's public meeting rooms to hold a suicide workshop for the terminally ill.

Exit International founder Dr. Phillip Nitschke admits his group's workshops are controversial, but says his organization wants to help the terminally ill decide when and how they die.

"What we do at these gatherings is to, first of all, explain to people why we think it's a good idea to know how to kill yourself peacefully and reliably," said Nitschke.

The second part of the workshop that looks at specific ways to commit suicide is restricted to those older than 50 years of age who are terminally ill.

"We provide people with the information they would need to be able to take that course, knowing it will succeed, that it won't fail, that they won't end up in a worse situation than the one they're currently in," said Nitschke.

Legal advice

The group had booked a room at the Vancouver Public Library for a workshop in early November, but the booking was later cancelled by city librarian Paul Whitney, after the library sought legal advice.

"We were told in all likelihood this program would be in contravention of Section 241 of the Criminal Code and that states that it is an indictable offence to counsel or aid or abet any person to commit suicide, and this seems sort of, fairly clear to us," said Whitney.

The maximum sentence if convicted is 14 years, whether a suicide takes place or not.

But Nitschke doesn't think Exit International's conferences contravene the Criminal Code, and he's asking the library to overturn the decision to bar his group when the board meets on Wednesday.

Whitney does not expect the decision to be overturned.

"Freedom of speech and access to information are core values for us, but having said that, the library was not prepared to be party to a probable criminal offence, which could result in the loss of life," said Whitney.