Medical Homicide as psychiatric treatment.

Gordon Friesen

Elegy for "Conversation"

By Gordon Friesen
President, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Canada is now facing the imminent arrival of homicide, practiced as psychiatric treatment. The legal authority has already been granted. The effective starting date is March 17, 2027.

The legislation to extend medical homicide (MAiD) to people with psychiatric conditions alone, was passed on March 17, 2021 (Bill C-7) but the implementation has been delayed now until March 17, 2027.

For the benefit of international readers, this grotesque reality results from removing the eligibility requirement of ‘terminal condition’. For if medical homicide is extended to any ‘grievous and irremediable’ circumstance (and if we accept, literally, the equivalence of somatic and psychological complaints) then it appears inevitable that medical homicide must be authorized for mental illness alone.

We should also note that the Canadian removal of ‘terminal condition’ resulted, not from spontaneous legislation, but in response to a fairness-based judicial decision, which was rendered in favor of a non-terminal plaintiff, seeking access to medical homicide.

For exterior observers thinking two steps ahead, therefore:

Preventing homicide as psychiatric treatment (and thus avoiding the medical execution of a chronically suicidal child, or other dear one) provides one more excellent reason for refusing any form, whatsoever, of medical homicide.

As if that were not enough, however, medical homicide for the mentally ill (and particularly for those suffering from mental illness alone) threatens the universally assumed certitude of fully informed, capable and uncoerced choice --for the symptoms of mental illness often make that sort of choice impossible. Its permission, therefore, favors that of other blossoms in the poisonous bouquet of incapable medical homicide, which also includes: advance requests for demented seniors, mature minors (on their own authority), infanticide, and children up to 12 years (with parental consent).

Ironically, nonetheless, this battle against medical homicide, for psychiatric disorder, also provides us with an opportunity to defend the capacity barrier, itself, not for these patients only, but for all other incapable categories as well.

Lastly, this ready-made assault, on the myth of medical homicide as a free and capable choice, provides a promising means of weakening political support for medical homicide more generally. We at EPC, with our allies around the world, are committed to fully changing cultural attitudes towards killing.

As many are aware, there is now an active legal opporunity with Bill C-218, whose intent is to specifically stop medical homicide for mental illness alone. We have deliberately placed capacity concerns prominently in the messaging surrounding our support of this Bill.

Unsurprisingly, that focus (and the threat it poses to their own agenda) has been noticed by different defenders of so-called 'medical assistance in dying'. In particular, the authors of a little known blog, named ‘Maid in Canada’, published a critique of one of our Parliamentary Press Gallery conferences held in support of Bill C-218. When contacted, they graciously agreed to publicly debate the subject over a period of six weeks.

As the reader may know, the dynamic duo from MIC have since returned to their on-line club house. However, they were kind enough to leave, in their wake, a public record of their reasons (and methods) opposing our campaign. And from this, we have the opportunity of making further improvements.

Beginning next week, I will sort through that exchange, separating the grain from the chaff. The goal will not be to prove ourselves right (in the past) but to sharpen our persuasive tools, as this crucial contest surrounding psychiatric homicide, and Bill C-218, moves forward.

No medical homicide for mental illness. Support Bill C-218. 

Previous articles: 

• How a structured exchange became a masterclass in deflection (Read). 
• The human cost of medical homicide (Read).