Tuesday, June 8, 2021

Canadian Euthanasia (MAiD) deaths increased by 35% in 2020.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Joan Bryden reported for the Canadian Press on June 8, 2021 that Health Canada official Abby Hoffman told the new parliamentary Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying that there were 7595 reported euthanasia (MAiD) deaths in Canada in 2020 representing a 17% increase from 5631 in 2019.

Hoffman was wrong. 7595 reported euthanasia deaths in 2020 is almost a 35% increase from 5631 in 2019.

7595 reported MAiD deaths represents approximately 2.5% of all deaths.

Hoffman correctly stated that the 5,631 MAiD deaths reported in 2019 was a 26% from 4467 in 2018.

According to the Health Canada data, as of December 31, 2020 there were 21,541 reported euthanasia (MAiD) deaths in Canada since legalization.

Bryden also reported Hoffman to say that:

Last year, she said 21 per cent of 9,300 written requests for assisted dying were not carried out, either because the requesters died before being assessed, were deemed ineligible or withdrew their requests. Of the latter, she said 50 changed their minds immediately before they were to receive the procedure.
Hoffman acknowledged that the data collected by the government is very general but she stated that Bill C-7 requires Health Canada to collect more data concerning “the presence of any inequality — including systemic inequality — or disadvantage based on race, Indigenous identity, disability or other characteristics.”

Bryden also reported that Justice official Joanne Klineberg says the number of cases will likely increase again as a result of recently passed legislation that expands access to assisted dying to people who are not nearing the natural end of their lives.

Bill C-7 was introduced in February 2020 as the government's response to the Quebec Superior Court's Truchon decisionBill C-7 went much further than what Truchon required. Bill C-7 became law on March 17, 2021.

The Ontario Office of the Chief Coroner releases data on a monthly basis. 

The data released in January 2021 by the Ontario Office of the Chief Coroner indicated that in Ontario there were 2378 reported MAiD deaths in 2020 up by 33% from 1789 in 2019. Ontario represents 39% of Canada's total population.

The April 2021 (MAiD) euthanasia data indicated that even though Ontario was under a strict COVID-19 "lock-down" that April 2021 had the highest number of euthanasia deaths since legalization with 241 assisted deaths and 853 reported assisted deaths in the first four months of 2021.

More articles on this topic:

  • Government committee examining further expansions of Canada's euthanasia law (Link). 
  • Ontario euthanasia deaths increase inspite of COVID-19 lockdown (Link). 
  • Canada passes Bill C-7 allowing euthanasia for mental illness (Link).

2 comments:

Cherry Bieber said...

This is so heartbreaking đź’”

Sheila said...

What a sad state of affairs! To think that the government of Canada has brought in laws to murder its own people - the old, handicapped, sick or depressed - even the young struggling with depression are becoming candidates for medical assistance in dying (MAID).
People do recover from depression. Many famous people have suffered with bouts of depression - Ludwig van Beethoven, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Patty Duke, Terry Bradshaw, Brooke Shields, Linda Hamilton and the list goes on.

Our government is promoting Euthanasia and MAID! Is this suppose to be part of Canada's "Health Care" system? Where is the hospice care that is so desperately needed instead of resorting to murdering old, sick, disabled, hurting vulnerable people?