774 Ontario euthanasia deaths in the first 6 months of 2019.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition.

The Ontario Office of the Chief Coroner released the updated data for MAiD (euthanasia and assisted suicide) deaths in Ontario indicating that since legalization (June 17, 2016) there have been (3303) 3302 euthanasia deaths and 1 assisted suicide death, as of June 30, 2019.

According to the Ontario data, there were 774 reported assisted deaths in the first six months of 2019, 1499 reported assisted deaths in 2018, 841 reported assisted deaths in 2017 and 189 reported assisted deaths in 2016.

The number euthanasia deaths are increasing. There were 406 reported assisted deaths between April 1 and June 30 and 368 reported assisted deaths in the first three months of the year.

In March I published an article explaining that the assisted deaths, in Canada, increased by more than 50% in 2018 from 2704 reported assisted deaths in 2017 to 4235 reported assisted deaths in 2018.

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition urges its supporters to show the Fatal Flaws Film in their communities.

Last week I received a call from an Ontario nurse who was feeling pressured to participate in euthanasia. Today I received another call from an Ontario nurse, in another community, who was concerned about pressure being placed on nurses to participate in euthanasia.

In May, the Ontario Court of Appeal upheld a lower court decision that Ontario doctors did not have do euthanasia but they had to do an "effective referral" meaning referral for the purpose of the act.

Conscience rights for medical professionals in Ontario need to be protected.

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition works with Compassionate Community Care (CCC) to offer advice and support for family members and friends who are concerned about an assisted death or end-of-life medical treatment decision. Contact CCC at: 1-855-675-8749.

Contact the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition if you have concerns with the circumstances related to a euthanasia death at: 1-877-439-3348.