Canadian Press article pushes government to implement euthanasia for mental illness.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

The Canadian Press published an article Stephanie Taylor on January 8, 2024 that appears to pressure the federal Liberal government to implement euthanasia for mental illness alone on March 17, 2024. 

The article also responds a previous article by Stephanie Taylor who reported for the Canadian Press on December 15 that Canada may pause the expansion of euthanasia to people with mental illness.

*Sign and share our petition to Justice Minister Hon Arif Virani, Hon Rob Moore (CPC Justice Critic) and Randall Garrison (NDP Justice Critic) (Petition Link).

Taylor begins her recent article by writing about John Scully, a former journalist, who appears to be suffering from PTSD and has attempted suicide twice. Scully wants to die by euthanasia based on psychological suffering.

Scully reportedly tells Taylor:

"Not as a definitive, 'I want to die now.' I want it there as an option to suicide"

It is interesting that the euthanasia lobby insists that euthanasia for mental illness is different than suicide and yet Scully wants it as an option to suicide.

Taylor interviews Senator Stan Kutcher, who is a psychiatrist and a strong supporter of euthanasia who believes that the courts have declared that there is a "right to euthanasia" in Canada.

Taylor also refers to Jocelyn Downie, a professor at Halifax's Dalhousie University, and possibly Canada's leading pro-euthanasia advocate who said that: 

another delay on the expansion could force individuals who are suffering intolerably to have to go to court, as others have in the past.

The euthanasia lobby is pressuring the federal government to accept euthanasia for mental illness by telling them that they will force a "Charter challenge" if the government doesn't permit euthanasia for mental illness alone.

Taylor attempts to "even" the article by quoting from Kerri Froc, a law professor at the University of New Brunswick who stated:

"Anyone can bring a case, anyone can bring a Charter challenge,"

"The question is, is it going to succeed?"

Froc contends that a charter challenge may not succeed.

Meanwhile the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition has launched a campaign titled: Don't abandon people with mental illness to death by euthanasia (MAiD). The EPC campaign includes a petition to the Justice Minister and the Justice Critics (Link to Petition) and a parliamentary post-card campaign.

More articles on this topic:

• Don't abandon people with mental illness to death by euthanasia (Link).
• Canada's government may pause the implementation of euthanasia for mental illness (Link).
•  Canada's MAiD program has gone mad (Link).