Canada's MAiD program has gone "mad"

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Kelsi Sheren, a Canadian military veteran, witnessed the horrific death of a comrade in Afghanistan. Sheren, who lives with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD,) told the Daily Mail in July, 2023 that 'It's disgusting and it's unacceptable,' that authorities would rather euthanize a soldier than foot the bill for their recovery.

The story of Veterans Affairs employees who advocated (MAiD) euthanasia for veterans living with (PTSD) was reported by Global News in August, 2022. The article states:

A Canadian Forces veteran seeking treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and a traumatic brain injury was shocked when he was unexpectedly and casually offered medical assistance in dying by a Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) employee, sources tell Global News.

Sources say a VAC service agent brought up medical assistance in dying, or MAID, unprompted in the conversation with the veteran. Global News is not identifying the veteran who was seeking treatment.

The Canadian veteran who was living with PTSD was offered euthanasia around the same time as several other stories were reported of people with disabilities who were being approved for, or dying by, euthanasia based on living in poverty or homelessness and were unable to obtain medical treatment.

Canada expanded the euthanasia law (Bill C-7) in March 2021 by removing the requirement that a person must be terminally ill or that their natural death be reasonably foreseeable. By removing the “terminal illness” requirement within the law without adding further requirements, the law became open to euthanasia for anyone with an "irremediable" medical condition. The new euthanasia law stipulates a 90 day waiting period for people who are not terminally ill and allows  same-day death for people who are terminally ill.

The disability community were concerned during the Bill C-7 debate that removing the “terminal illness” requirement in the law would lead to the deaths of people with disabilities based on social reasons. They were right. People with disabilities are being approved for euthanasia based on their medical condition but are requesting euthanasia based on poverty, homelessness, and other social issues.

Rose Finlay

The Daily Mail reported in July, 2023 on Rose Finlay, a woman with quadriplegia who was self-employed for many years, and had become ill. To enable her to live, Finlay applied for disability benefits and learned that it takes 6 to 8 months to be approved for disability benefits in Ontario. However, Finlay was approved for and could die by euthanasia in 90 days. Finlay didn’t want to die by euthanasia but due to her illness was living in poverty.

Rose Finlay is one of many people with disabilities who applied for euthanasia based on poverty but was approved for euthanasia because her disability is defined as being an “irremediable” medical condition.

Joannie Cowie

Joannie Cowie was interviewed by Global News in October 2022. Cowie, who has multiple disabilities, shares an apartment with her daughter, who is also disabled. Cowie told the media that she wants euthanasia because she is trapped in a cycle of poverty. Even though she has an excellent education, she is not employed and she doesn’t receive enough money from her disability benefit to live.

Meagan Nichols, who operates the Mississauga Food Bank, told MacLean’s magazine in November 2022 that some food bank clients were seeking euthanasia in response to the grind of living in poverty.

Amir Farsoud was considering death by euthanasia to avoid homelessness. City News Toronto reported in October 2022 that Farsoud, who lives with constant back pain, had to find a new apartment because his building had a new owner who was planning to renovate the building. Farsoud, who was dependent on disability benefits, couldn’t find another affordable apartment. Farsoud applied for euthanasia based on his disability but he wanted euthanasia based on his fear of homelessness.

Farsoud remains alive because a GoFundMe fundraiser provided him with a new place to live. But Farsoud is the exception to the rule.

CBC News Manitoba reported in October 2022 that Sathya Dhara Kovac, who was living with ALS, died by euthanasia because she lacked adequate home-care services. In writing her obituary, Kovac stated that she had grown exhausted by her failed efforts to get more help with basic needs at home, and this is what drove her to access a medically assisted death.

A woman known as Madeleine makes the issue clear. Madeleine, who accumulated a $40,000 debt trying to treat myalgic encephalomyelitis and other ailments, told Chatelaine magazine in July 2022 that when her money runs out, a medically assisted death may be her only option. Madeleine is living with disability and poverty as she tries to obtain the medical treatment she needs.

Similar to Rose Finlay, Joannie Cowie and Amir Farsoud, Madeleine doesn’t want to die by euthanasia but she believes it may eventually be her only option. These stories represent only some of the real life stories that people with disabilities who live with poverty, homelessness, or have a difficult time getting medical treatment, are experiencing.

Euthanasia for Mental Illness.

When Canada expanded the euthanasia law in March 2021 (Bill C-7) one of the expansions included approving euthanasia for mental illness alone, and it provided a two-year moratorium to give the government time to prepare for this expansion.

The reality surrounding euthanasia for mental illness is concerning.

John Maher

People with disabilities are requesting, and being approved for, euthanasia based on poverty, homelessness and the inability to receive necessary medical treatment. People with mental health issues are often homeless, living in poverty and having difficulty receiving medical treatment.

Psychiatrist, Dr John Maher, has stated that the euthanasia waiting period for Canadians who are not terminally ill, which is 90 days, is shorter than the waiting period to receive psychiatric care which is often much longer than 90 days.

Sonu Gaind

Psychiatrist, Dr Sonu Gaind, who supports euthanasia but opposes it for people with mental illness, told the Toronto Star in February 2023 that:

it’s basically impossible to know in cases of mental illness whether the condition is truly “irremediable,” i.e. cannot be cured or alleviated.

Dr Gaind's statement is important since the law requires that the person must have an "irremediable" medical condition in order to qualify for euthanasia.

Kathrin Mentler

The story of Kathrin Mentler (37), a Canadian who lives with chronic suicidal thoughts was reported by The Tyee in August 2023. Mentler, who has lived with depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts for many years, was offered euthanasia at the Assessment Centre at the Vancouver General Hospital where Mentler was seeking help for suicidal ideation.

Mentler was told by the counsellor that the mental health system was "completely overwhelmed", there were no available beds, and the earliest that she could talk with a psychiatrist was in about five months. Then the counsellor asked Mentler if she had ever considered medically assisted suicide.

In August 2023 a story was published by the Richmond News explaining that had  euthanasia for mental illness existed in the past, Karim Jessa would be dead. Jessa, in his interview, explains that he opposes euthanasia for mental illness because, when he had hit rock bottom, he would have asked for an assisted death if it had been legal, but now he is a completely different person.

Psychiatrist John Maher stated in an interview with W5 in November 2022:

"There are cycles of illness. Some of it's up and down. It might be years. And then there is a burst of illness and suffering that we then take care of,” Maher said.

He said that MAiD for mental illness, is too close to suicide for his comfort.

“You're assisting someone in the completion of their suicide. The doctor is the sanitised gun,".

One of Maher's key concerns is how anyone can determine if someone with a mental illness is incurable, as is required by the legislation.

"I'm not at all disagreeing that there are people who have an irremediable illness. What I defy you or any other person in the universe to prove to me is that it's this person in front of you.”

Canada's euthanasia law has led to the abandonment of people with disabilities who are living with poverty, homelessness, have difficulty obtaining necessary medical treatment, and are living under unacceptable social conditions. 

Canada's euthanasia law is scheduled to expand to include euthanasia for psychological conditions on March 17, 2024. The result of this decision will be more of the same, except for the people with psychiatric conditions who will be encouraged to die.

Canada's euthanasia law has abandoned people living with difficult conditions to death.

Canada's euthanasia (MAiD) program has gone "mad".

More articles on this topic:

• Has Canada's euthanasia law gone too far? (Link)
• Psychiatrists: Do we offer hope or do we offer death (Link).
• The majority of Canadian oppose euthanasia for mental health (Link).
• Canada's euthanasia law is the most permissive in the world (Link).
• Canada to delay implementing euthanasia for mental illness (Link).
• Toronto Star: Canada is going too far with euthanasia (Link).
• Globe and Mail Editorial: No to euthanasia for mental disorders (Link).
• Euthanasia panel member quit: Proposals don't adequately protect Canadians with mental illness (Link).
• Offering euthanasia to a suicidal person leads to premature deaths (Link).
• Euthanizing the mentally ill without providing proper supports is reprehensible (Link).
• Euthanasia for mental illness. Killing people with an uncertain prognosis (Link).
• Profound social change with euthanasia for mental illness (Link).