Canada to delay euthanasia for mental illness until March 2024.

This is not a victory. The government is only delaying the implementation of euthanasia for mental illness.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

David Fraser reported for The Canadian Press that Justice Minister David Lametti introduced Bill C-39 to delay the implementation of euthanasia for mental illness (for one year) until March 17, 2024.

Bill C-7, which was passed on March 17, 2021, among other things, legalized euthanasia for mental illness with a two-year moratorium. Therefore euthanasia for mental illness alone was to be implemented on March 17, 2023. The latest government plan delays the implementation for one more year.

This is not a victory since it only delays the implementation of euthanasia for mental illness. 

Further to that, I do not trust the government. As stated by Peter Zimonjic for CBC news:

If Bill C-39 is not passed by March 17 of this year, MAID for people solely suffering from mental illness will become law in Canada. The legislation cannot be passed after that date because the two-year time limit will have ended.

It is possible that the bill to delay implementation of euthanasia for mental illness will be held up or defeated in the Senate and thus permitting euthanasia for mental illness on March 17, 2023.

David Lametti

According to the Canadian Press report:

Canadians whose sole condition is a mental disorder will not be eligible for a medically assisted death for another year under legislation introduced in the House of Commons Thursday.

Justice Minister David Lametti introduced the bill seeking to delay extending the eligibility until March 17, 2024.

“We need to be prudent. We need to move step by step, making sure that people within the profession, Canadian society at large, has internalized this step,” Lametti told reporters.

“To be honest, we could have gone forward with the original date, but we want to be sure. We want to be safe. We want everybody to be on the same page.”

The Liberal government backed off from implementing euthanasia for mental illness this year because most psychiatrists are stating that it is impossible to determine if a person with a mental illness has an irremediable medical condition, as required by the law. 

There have also been many sad stories of people with disabilities who died by euthanasia based on poverty, homelessness or an inability to receive medical treatments.

People with mental illness are often living in poverty, experiencing homelessness or unable to get the necessary treatment for mental illness. Permitting euthanasia for people with mental illness is not about autonomy but rather abandonment of people in need of care.

Yesterday I reported that Alberta Premier Danielle Smith objects to expanding euthanasia to include mental illness. Québec has already objected to euthanasia for mental illness. Provinces must assert their constitutional authority and prevent euthanasia for mental illness.

Further reading:

• Quebec Court expands euthanasia law by striking down the terminal illness requirement. (Link). 
• Canada passes Bill C-7 allowing euthanasia for mental illness (Link). 
• Canada's law will provide not prevent suicide for some psychiatric patients (Link). 
• Euthanasia for mental illness. Killing people with an uncertain prognosis (Link). 
• Abbotsford police investigating euthanasia death (Link). 
• Canada is not as advertised. Euthanasia is eugenics (Link). 
• Canada's euthanasia law is the most permissive in the world (Link). 
• (MAiD) euthanasia for disability and poverty (Link). 
• (MAiD) euthanasia for mental illness and poverty (Link). 
• Veterans affairs worker advocates euthanasia for PTSD (Link).
• Abandoning people. Canada's broadening euthanasia laws (Link). 
• Mother wants to stop 23-year-old son from dying by euthanasia (Link). 
• Bereaved mother speaks out against euthanasia (Link). 
• Woman died by euthanasia because of inadequate home care (Link). 
• Infant euthanasia proposed by Quebec College of Physicians (Link). 
• How poverty not pain is driving people with disabilities to euthanasia (Link). 
• Ontario man seeks euthanasia to avoid homelessness (Link). 
• Why did they kill my brother? (Link). 
• Canada's doctors offer euthanasia before receiving a request (Link). 
• Food bank clients asking for euthanasia based on poverty (Link). 
• No other options. An expose on euthanasia in Canada (Link). 
• Poverty and euthanasia creates public interest but euthanasia is abhorent on its own (Link).