Canada's government promotes euthanasia to the Indigenous community

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

An article by Sonal Gupta that was published by the Canadian Press on August 11, 2025 examines the role of the Canada's federal government in normalizing (MAiD) euthanasia within the Indigenous community.

The article explains how the Canadian government is selling MAiD to the indigenous community based on the MAiD death experienced by James Frank Palmater. Gupta writes:

The degree of care, cultural safety and communication they received should be widely available across Indigenous communities in Canada, she said.

“People should know their options,” she said. “If there’s no hope and no return, people should be supported to go with dignity.”

Yet this experience is an exception, not a norm: many Indigenous communities face persistent barriers that call into question whether MAiD is truly a free choice or a forced response to systemic issues.

Indigenous communities have not supported euthanasia and have commented on how the government did not consult them.

Gupta examines the concerns of the Indigenous community especially considering the planned expansion of euthanasia to include mental illness alone starting in March 2027:

Brendon Moore, national chief of Congress of Aboriginal People — a group that represents the interests of Indigenous people is concerned that expanding MAiD, especially for those with mental illness as a sole condition — is especially troubling in communities that already experience the highest rates of suicide as a result of intergenerational trauma and systemic racism.

The nightmare scenario: MAiD could substitute investments in living supports and mental health care if underlying conditions aren’t addressed first.

“We’re looking for an equitable opportunity to live first,” he said. “If we had culturally safe palliative care and mental health support, some people might choose that path instead of moving toward MAiD.”

Brendan and Shawna Moore

Moore also commented on euthanasia in the prisons.

“We believe compassionate release should be prioritized, allowing individuals the opportunity to make end-of-life decisions with dignity, surrounded by family and cultural support and not from within a prison cell,”

Moore emphasized on how the government legalized euthanasia without consulting Indigenous communities:

“Our main concern is that medical assistance in dying will become the easier choice for people within our communities that are continuing to struggle with the systemic barriers that are placed in front of them,” Moore said.

Josie Nepinak, president of the Native Women’s Association of Canada told Gupta that Indigenous woman lack culturally safe healthcare. Nepinak stated that: some Indigenous women believe that euthanasia conflicts with their spiritual and cultural beliefs about family and traditions. 

Nepinak continued:

Without better access and culturally safe care, MAiD risks being chosen as a result of lack of hope, resources or social connection rather than true free will.

In response to Gupta's concerns, A Health Canada spokesperson stated:

it’s continuing to work with Indigenous communities on MAID and end-of-life care and to increase participation in that consultation, the survey was shared with Indigenous Services Canada, provinces and territories and various Indigenous organizations.

Moore described the Health Canada consultation as a "surface consultation." Gupta reported:

“We’re really still in the baby steps of reconciliation. Reconciliation is meant to bring us back to par with the average Canadian and their rights, but this is a very Western perspective, not something you find in many of our ways. It’s deeply concerning that work is moving forward on things like this and attempting to make it law, when we still haven’t made much progress on reconciliation,” Moore said.

Health Canada told Gupta that they will share more details about their consultation later this summer.

Gupta is both challenging Health Canada but also promoting the work that Health Canada is doing to normalize euthanasia within the Indigenous community. 

The fact is that many Indigenous Canadians have a very difficult time obtaining equitable healthcare, but MAiD is readily available.