Parks Canada permits euthanasia (MAiD) on its premises.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Many people have reacted with shock to the story that Parks Canada is permitting euthanasia on their premises. 

Everything to do with euthanasia (killing people by poison upon request) is dangerous, socially lethal and wrong, but the news story about Parks Canada was disappointing but not surprising.

In May 2023 I wrote an article titled: One stop death in Canadian funeral homes: a business opportunity, concerning a Québec funeral home that was offering euthanasia on it's premises.  

A CBC news article published on October 26, 2021 reported that the Northview Funeral Chapel in London, Ontario began offering MAiD rooms in early 2020. 

In March 2022 Churchill Park United Church in Winnipeg Manitoba hosted the euthanasia death of Betty Sanguin (86). Sanguin, who was living with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) died by lethal injection in the sanctuary of the Church.

There have been reports of euthanasia deaths in many locations. It is disappointing but not surprising that Parks Canada is allowing euthanasia on its premises.

Sheila Gunn Reid reported for Rebel News on January 20, 2024 that:

In doing research for our documentary about what's currently happening in Canada's euthanasia system,we stumbled upon this on a pro-euthanasia blog:

MAiD has been provided in various locations including a health facility, funeral home, home, and even outdoors on private land (although Parks Canada also has a MAiD policy allowing MAiD in some parks in certain circumstances).

I reached out, like any good journalist would, to Parks Canada for confirmation.

Gunn Reid sent Parks Canada this list of questions:

According to the Canadian Association of MAiD Assessors and Providers, Parks Canada also has a MAiD policy allowing MAiD in some parks in certain circumstances. I am looking for information on what the policy entails.

What does one need to do to access this policy?

Does the MAiD recipient need to first alert Parks staff to where inside the park they will end their lives?

What provisions are taken to ensure the public or unsuspecting Parks staff do not stumble across the deceased?

Can one end their life via MAiD in any National Park, or is the practice limited to certain parks? If so, which parks?

Parks Canada provided this response to Gunn Reid:

The decision to pursue Medical Assistance in Dying is a deeply personal one. Parks Canada recognizes that many Canadians have personal connections to national historic sites, national parks, and national marine conservation areas. These treasured places can provide physical, emotional and spiritual comfort to those at the end of life.

While Parks Canada continues to develop its protocols and guidance with respect to MAiD, we evaluate requests on a case-by-case basis when a person eligible for MAiD would like to pursue this medical procedure at a Parks Canada administered location.

When Canada legalized doctors and nurse practitioners killing people, upon request, by lethal injection (MAiD) it provided many other situations. If you see a doctor or a nurse injecting a person to death in a Canadian Park, it is the legalization of killing that is the problem, the rest is sadly not surprising.