Canada lawmakers criticized for offering euthanasia to people with mental illness

Alongside  Benelux, Canada is now one of the countries allowing assisted suicide. In 2016, Medical assistance in dying (MAiD) was approved in the country. Now, the expanded euthanasia law  also allows people with mental illnesses to apply for MAiD. The law will take effect on March 14, 2023.

Under the Carter decision, the Supreme Court of Canada removed the Criminal Code sections restricting assistance for a person to die. However, after the Truncheon case disputed the integrity of death as “reasonably foreseeable,” the Parliament decided to expand the MAiD laws, and the new Euthanasia law C-7 came into force in 2021.

Lawmakers are even considering extending the euthanasia law to “mature minors” should they qualify for the criteria.

#Canada is very diverse except when it is committing euthanasia against its depressed population pic.twitter.com/M9S9ydalxZ

— The Dollar Vigilante (@DollarVigilante) December 6, 2022

A Canadian citizen, Roger Foley, still wants to live, but he said that the Canadian government is urging him to end his life. In a New York Post interview, he said, “I’ve been pressured to do an assisted suicide.” The offer took place in a government health center in London, Ontario. 

Foley allegedly said, “They asked if I want an assisted death. I don’t. Then, I was told I would be charged $1,800 per day [for hospital care]. I have $2 million worth of bills. Nurses here told me that I should end my life. That shocked me.” His statements in the interview mirror his allegations in a lawsuit he filed against the Victoria Hospital Health Services Centre.

Euthanasia in Canada leading cause of death

Meanwhile, the hospital spokesperson said, “We are unable to provide a comment specific to a patient to ensure privacy and confidentiality … As per Canadian law, our healthcare teams are prepared to have conversations regarding Medically Assisted Dying with patients who verbally express an interest in exploring this option … If the patient does not express an interest or changes their mind, our healthcare team will not engage in these conversations.”

According to a Forbes record, Canada is the leading country with assisted suicides. In 2021, the country had 10,064 euthanasia cases. Eighty-one percent of worldwide requests for medical euthanasia happened in Canada. 

Paralympian trying to get wheelchair ramp says Veterans Affairs employee offered her assisted dying https://t.co/3zdnyCXnDE pic.twitter.com/9uivgWvZEV

— CTV News (@CTVNews) December 3, 2022

Moreover, the newly expanded MAiD bill would now allow mentally ill individuals seeking euthanasia to apply. Before the bill’s approval, MAiD requirements were based on having a “grievous and irremediable medical condition.” This is according to a report from the Canadian government.

The landscape of access to medically assisted death has drastically changed with Canada’s new federal law. Before this, only those whose death was naturally foreseeable— Track One patient—were eligible for MAiD treatment. Such cases include terminal cancer and other severe diseases expected to cause the patient’s death within a reasonable amount of time. 

However, the new legislation broadens eligibility to include Track Two patients: those whose death is not necessarily foreseeable in the near future. This allows greater access to individuals. However, this new classification also comes with additional provisions and safeguards taken by doctors before finalizing the procedure. Most notably, there’s a 90-day assessment period to ensure all regulations are in place.

Expanded MAiD bill

Canadian experts have voiced their concerns. The recent surge of cases involving vulnerable people seeking Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) has raised many alarms. With new legislation allowing more people to access MAiD, there are worries that this will increase the distress of those who feel they cannot manage the struggles of life any longer. 

The public health implications of such a decision, both ethically and morally, have prompted a discussion about appropriate responses. It ensures that nobody hastily seeks help and receives the proper guidance before deciding on such an irreversible action.

Tier Two applications present complexities that challenge ethical perspectives in the medical field. Dr. Kerry Bowman, a leading Canadian bioethicist and conservationist, believes these applications pose much deeper ethical questions than previously asked. 

Opinion | What Euthanasia Has Done to Canada – The New York Times https://t.co/YbMY0CrmTL

— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) December 4, 2022

Dr. Bowman said, “Some of the factors that are now driving requests for medical assistance in dying are not medical. They’re social, cultural, and political factors.” 

In early April, CTV News reported an alarming case. A 51-year-old woman who struggled with severe allergies to chemicals sought medical euthanasia. She opted for it because the housing benefits provided by the government could not help her get better housing. And this might have alleviated her symptoms.

Euthanasia cases

Sadly, this was not an isolated case. Shortly after, another disabled woman applied for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD). She claimed that she could not “afford to live” due to her physical condition. These cases are becoming increasingly alarming, especially with the newly expanded euthanasia law. 

The Chief of Psychiatry at Humber River Hospital and a member of the World Psychiatric Association, Dr. Sonu Grind, expressed his concern. “I’m not a conscientious objector of MAiD, but I personally feel that the expansion is irresponsible. We’ve set up a system—and this is what the headlines are showing—where people who have decades left to live and they are being fuelled by poverty, isolation, loneliness to seek MAiD. That’s dangerous to me.”

The conversation around death and euthanasia in Canada intensifies. Rights groups and mental health advocates continue to voice their concerns over recent changes. These issues surround end-of-life decisions. Despite the progress made thus far in pushing boundaries, many taboos remain. The topic hinders open dialogue about death, posing further challenges for those attempting to establish a practical approach to this sensitive topic.