More than 1324 euthanasia deaths in Canada since legalization.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Nicole Ireland with CBC news reported that there have been more than 1324 euthanasia deaths in Canada. The CBC article that promotes euthanasia states:

more than 1,300 people in Canada who have died with medical assistance since the option became law. For most of the country, that's been less than a year, as Bill C-14 governing medical assistance in dying passed on June 17, 2016. Quebec legalized medical assistance in dying six months before that, on Dec. 10, 2015. 

Although CBC News has counted 1,324 medically assisted deaths in Canada through data requested from health ministries and coroners' offices in each province and territory, the actual number is likely higher, as some provinces were unable to provide up-to-date information.

According to the CBC data, there were more than 1324 euthanasia deaths, since the data from Québec, British Columbia and New Brunswick is not up-to-date. 

The article also quotes Amy Hasbrouck speaking on behalf of the disability rights group, Not Dead Yet:

"This is very personal for me," says Amy Hasbrouck, who is legally blind and speaks for Not Dead Yet Canada. "These are public policy decisions that end up sacrificing the lives of old, ill and disabled people."

Normalizing medically assisted death, these advocates say, sends a message that the life of a person who is ill, disabled or elderly is not worth living. The government should instead be investing in improving the quality of their life, they argue, by investing in better supports for people with disabilities, as well as better palliative care.

Amy Hasbrouck is the President of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

The Netherlands recently reported that there were 6091 reported assisted deaths in 2016 representing 4% of all deaths. Based on the current number of assisted deaths, it is possible that Canada will surpass the Netherlands and Belgium.

It is also concerning that the euthanasia lobby are pressuring to have euthanasia extended to people with mental illness, people who are under 18 and for people who are incompetent, but who stated in their power of attorney document that they would want to die by euthanasia.