Canadian Government delays Euthanasia expansion for mental illness

The Federal Government in Canada has admitted it needs more time before expanding Canada’s highly controversial medical assistance in dying (MAID) policy to include mentally ill people.

The Government had initially said it wanted to expand MAID for those with long-standing mental health disorders by March 2023.

But Justice Minister David Lametti has said medical experts have told him the health-care system is not prepared to deal with patients wanting to end their life for mental health reasons.

He did not commit to a new deadline.

Expanding MAID to include those with mental health illnesses is just one of a number of controversial elements of proposed changes to the MAID legislation.

Some are pushing for assisted suicide to be expanded to include infants.

Others believe non-dying, disabled people on waiting lists should be able to access MAID.

The assisted suicide and euthanasia legislation was originally passed in 2016. In a mere five years afterwards, expansion was on the cards, with key safeguards disappearing.

Recently, a former Paralympian and army veteran told a federal committee how she was offered a MAID kit after requesting a stairlift.

Reports from Canada also indicate that some have opted for assisted suicide because of homelessness.

As politicians in Scotland prepare to debate Liam McArthur’s assisted suicide bill and the Westminster Health and Social Care Committee hold a public Inquiry into assisted suicide laws in England and Wales, what’s happened in Canada offers a cautionary tale.

Wherever assisted suicide is legalised, it’s possible to find evidence of incremental expansion.

Make no mistake about it, legalising assisted suicide might appear compassionate, but any right to die could quickly become a duty to die.

And, as ever, if this happens, it’s those who are furthest from justice in our society, the most vulnerable amongst us who will suffer the most.

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