Federally funded podcast promotes euthanasia clinic.

Encouraging increased access to Euthanasia via alternative media.

Viviana Runstedler
Staff Writer, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Earlier this month, we reported about the podcast “Disrupting Death” which received $289,226 in Canadian government research grant funding to discuss Canadian experiences with Medical Assistance in Dying.

As per their website, their goal “is to provide insight and contribute to improving the implementation of accessible, person-centered MAiD for Canadians”. While the interviewees are not in all cases explicitly pro-euthanasia, the interviewers make it clear that they believe MAiD is healthcare and should be accessible to all Canadians.

The most recent episode, released on July 17, 2026, features the new Executive Director of MAiDHouse, Tamara MacIntyre. As we have previously reported, MAiDHouse is a euthanasia clinic which started in Toronto and has expanded to a location in Victoria, BC. They provide space for the purpose of euthanasia death as well as training and support to euthanasia providers. The interviewers refer to MAiDHouse as “an invaluable response and service” (episode time stamp 36:23). 

This episode was for all intents and purposes a promo for MAiDHouse; a one-sided conversation funded by our tax dollars via government research grant.

The following are key reflections from the episode. All time stamps noted are when the statement begins as streamed on the Spotify platform.

MacIntyre states:

“I had somebody who said to me that what they thought was going to be one of the darkest days of their life ended up being replaced with love and light, and that just removing the mystery changed her ability to be present with the experience. And I think that’s what people don’t understand is, that what people describe as the beauty of natural death, there is beauty in a MAiD death and your listeners would be familiar with that from so many subjective stories of how people have described it. And the opposition would position it as a facade that needed to be believed because it was otherwise.” (time stamp 12:30)

Here, MacIntyre paints that “opposition” (and we’re sure she would include us) as members of a ‘death illiterate’ society who oppose euthanasia and assisted suicide because of inexperience with death or fear to discuss it. She brushes away individuals such as physicians and spiritual care providers who have accompanied many individuals in the dying process yet still oppose euthanasia, as well as those who have had a negative personal experience with euthanasia. She speaks as though all euthanasia deaths will be “love and light” and cites subjective stories, but ignores the subjective stories that exist in contradiction to that narrative.

MacIntyre further states:

“What I would say to you is that, specific to MAiD, there is bravery, there is curiosity, there is courage, there is human complexity that I think we often times don’t talk about.” (time stamp 15:30)

How logically backwards - to pair the oft-cited fear of being a burden as “bravery” and the choice to end one’s own life early as “curiosity” rather than the inquisitive desire to explore life’s potential, final natural moments.

However, MacIntyre also points out the weaknesses in our existing healthcare system that created the breeding grounds for our current MAiD landscape:

“People still think there’s a hospice bed for me when I need it or if I choose MAiD, there’ll just be a hospital bed for me. You know, they don’t realize that the way our healthcare system is built, that means they’d have to be checked in as a day patient and they would sit until there is space.” (time stamp 18:56)

It is well known that there is a severe lack of hospice and palliative, which has a negative impact on the trust Canadians have that their natural deaths will be properly managed. This along with ‘hallway healthcare’ was part of the conversation that led to legalization of euthanasia - decreasing the burden on an over-taxed system. MAiDHouse claims to be helping to solve the problem of space for dying patients but we suggest - are they just diverting funds towards themselves that should be invested into the expansion of hospice and palliative care?

MAiDHouse also positions themselves as a place for the vulnerable - those who don’t have a family or personal network to help them navigate the end of life process. MacIntyre talks about walking through the full range of end-of-life planning decisions from cremation to urn selection and more. This existential loneliness is a separate issue existing in society that is not going to be solved by euthanasia and instead we suggest MAiDHouse’s ‘support’ exasperates the issue. We MUST ensure people aren’t "choosing" euthanasia simply because they are alone or need help with end of life planning. This is clearly a way to prey on the vulnerable.

Finally, there was a discussion of transfers for the purpose of obtaining MAiD. This usually refers to being moved from a facility that does not provide MAiD to one that does. However, the conversation moved ahead in a surprisingly dark way:

“The complexity of deciding on time that they will be transported because they want the least amount of individuals to know. People who leave homes that they’ve lived in for a long time, that they know that they’ve not told any of their neighbours, they’ve not told anybody. They just need to disappear because they don’t want to be the rumour in their home environment.” (time stamp 27:23)

MacIntyre further states that planning “with those additional complexities in mind” is “work that we do on a regular basis.” (time stamp 28:17) This is heartbreaking. Is that really what Canadians are hoping for in their final days? Stigma. Fading away without a trace. Disappearing.

There is a human desire to be remembered after we are gone. The purpose of cultural norms around death such as visitations, funerals, and gravesites are to revisit and honour the life that was lived, yet MAiDHouse is facilitating the deaths shrouded in shame and emotional conflict. This is in stark contrast to final days honoured with visits from friends and family, recognizing that the moments are becoming ever fewer and to be savoured.

When asked for final thoughts on how she would like the conversation surrounding MAiD to be, MacIntyre instead took the opportunity to frame providers such as MAiDHouse and those who have chosen MAiD as the victims:

“I would just say the biggest piece I would ask is the level of compassion that it is not possible for you to know or understand what somebody’s circumstance is. And while you may find security in values that give you permission to judge another’s choice, just like somebody didn’t tell me what to wear when I got up this morning, somebody’s not going to tell me what my end of life looks like.” (time stamp 39:35)

As though fashion and end of life choices carry a similar ethical and moral weight. Yet the interviewer thought that was “a fabulous way to conclude our conversation” (time stamp 40:02) and thanked MAiDHouse for being part of the MAiD care landscape in Canada.

This is what the Canadian government is funding. Our tax dollars fund the killing of Canadians by doctors, and our research tax dollars fund these heavily biased conversations pushing for expansion of access to euthanasia.

We urge you to not become lethargic on this topic just because it is currently legal. Conversations such as those in this podcast will only gain more traction unless we do something about it. Speak to your members of parliament about these ongoing discrepancies and biases. Sign our petitions. Speak candidly to your friends and family who may be considering euthanasia. Direct those in your circles who may be less informed about end of life issues to reliable sites such as our website or our EPC blog. It is never too late to facilitate change for the better.