Vancouver man dies by euthanasia while on a psychiatric day pass.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Brieanna Charlebois reported for the Canadian Press on December 19 that a Vancouver man who was on a psychiatric day pass died by euthanasia at Ellen Wiebe's clinic:

The family of a 52-year-old man who received medical assistance in dying while on a day pass from a Vancouver hospital’s psychiatric ward has launched a constitutional challenge to the procedure’s legal framework.

The case filed in the B.C. Supreme Court says the businessman and father of three, who had chronic back pain and long-term mental illness, suffered wrongful death in December 2022.

This is not the first court case involving Ellen Wiebe, a Vancouver euthanasia doctor who is known for killing more Canadians by euthanasia, than any other doctor.

A British Columbia judge halted the euthanasia death of a woman from Alberta who was scheduled to be euthanized by Dr Ellen Wiebe on Sunday October 27, 2024. (Link to the injunction decision).

Article: Has Dr Wiebe killed people who do not qualify for euthanasia? (Link).

Ellen Wiebe

Charlebois reported that the case:

...accuses Dr. Ellen Wiebe and her clinic of malpractice. None of the allegations have been proven in court.

The latest case, which only identifies the man by initials, says that while MAID’s framework excludes people solely suffering from mental illnesses, it does not supply similar safeguards for those with “concurrent mental and physical illnesses,” heightening risks of premature death.

The family is seeking damages for alleged wrongful death as well as a declaration that the man’s Charter rights were breached and that the MAID framework is invalid and unconstitutional.

Applicants whose sole medical condition is mental illness will remain ineligible under MAID until at least March 2027.

Charlebois further reports that:

The lawsuit says the man was formally diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2013. It said he was also suffering chronic back pain, but this injury was neither grievous nor incurable enough to make him eligible for MAID.

The notice says he sought and received approval for MAID — though it did not include a date. But then, the notice, he decided to pursue treatment and rehabilitation instead.

The man’s family obtained a court order under the Mental Health Act to commit him to a psychiatric ward at St. Paul’s Hospital, the lawsuit says. It alleges the hospital and his doctors “negligently or recklessly” allowed him to leave the hospital, upon which underwent MAID.

It argues the man was not capable of making decisions about his health at the time and allege his choice was influenced by concerns about his finances. It alleges he did not give informed consent “as he lacked capacity to do so.”

The family only learned of his death later.

More articles about Dr Ellen Wiebe:

• Has Dr Wiebe killed people who do not qualify for euthanasia? (Link).
• BC Judge halts euthanasia death scheduled by Dr Ellen Wiebe (Link).
• Canadian doctor considers euthanasia the best work that she has done (Link).
• Canadian euthanasia doctor giggles about killing (Link).
• Vancouver doctor euthanizes a man who was unable to consent (Link).
• Vancouver doctor who has killed more than 400 people by euthanasia also supports euthanasia for mental illness (Link)