Ontario man sought (MAiD) euthanasia after experiencing hospital overcrowding.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Cleo Gratton with his wife.

A CBC news report from November 6, 2025 concerned Cleo Gratton, who was approved for (MAiD) euthanasia after receiving terrible care caused by "hallway healthcare" at Health Sciences North in Sudbury. The article states:

When Cleo Gratton told his family he would rather die than go back to Health Sciences North in Sudbury, he wasn't exaggerating, his daughter says.

The 84-year-old from Chelmsford died last week of natural causes, shortly after he was approved for a medically assisted death, often known as MAID.

His daughter Lynn said he made that decision after a recent stay at the Sudbury hospital left him “beyond floored.”

Hallway Healthcare in Ontario

An article by Laura Stradiotto that was published in the Sudbury Star stated:

Gratton was in the process of arranging a medically assisted death when he passed away naturally and peacefully at home, surrounded by his family on Oct. 26. But he wanted his story to be known, and asked that his family share it in the hope that it might spark change in what he saw as a deeply broken health care system.

His daughter, Lynn Gratton, wrote about her father’s experience on social media one day after he was rushed to Health Sciences North on Oct. 20 after experiencing pain. According to Lynn, her father waited in the emergency department for 12 hours before being moved to the seventh floor where he was placed in a hallway with no lighting, table for a food tray, phone or bathroom.

“A nurse who came to do an assessment on his feet had to look for flashlights and headlamp to do the examination,”

When doing an internet search on the problem with "hallway healthcare" in Canada one notices that this is not only a problem in Sudbury but rather a national problem. 

Normand Meunier with his wife.

As terrible as this story is, Gratton is one of many people who have asked or died by euthanasia based on access to appropriate medical treatment.

On April 12, 2024 I reported that Normand Meunier died by euthanasia after developing a bed sore from being left on a hospital stretcher at the hospital in Saint-Jérôme, Québec for 95 hours. The bed sore got infected and became horrific, and yet it was preventable.

There were also the stories of Sarnia Saikali and Dan Quayle, who both died by euthanasia in Victoria BC after experiencing long drawn out wait times for cancer treatment. 

Mary Griffin reported by CHEK news that Danielle Baker, the daughter of Samia Saikali (67), wants changes to cancer treatment in British Columbia since her mother died by euthanasia after being forced to wait 10 weeks for an oncology appointment.

Dan Quayle with his wife.

Dan Quayle (52) died by euthanasia on December 5, 2023 after waiting 10 weeks for treatment, that he was approved for, but never received.

Legalizing euthanasia has not improved the Canadian healthcare system by killing people who may have otherwise required treatment, but rather it has created a death option for people who are not being properly cared for.