Letter to Members of Parliament - Support Bill C-218

Bill C-218 will go to a vote on October 7. Instructions to Help prevent euthanasia for mental illness (Link to article).

Dear (Name of Member of Parliament): 

My name is Debbie Fisher and I write this letter to you to ask for your support for Bill C-218. I am confident you are aware of those who suffer with mental illness and I am very concerned that mental illness could lead someone to request medical aid in dying. I do not understand how a mentally ill person could be capable of making that choice. We need to help people with mental illness, not offer assistance to die. Have we as a nation become that tolerant of legalized killing? 

My beautiful mother became depressed in 2019 due the quality of her life as a senior person. She feared she was a burden to her family due to her deteriorating health. 

During a stay in the hospital after she took too much of her medication, I was approached by a doctor who informed me that my mother wished to die. I was very upset because I knew what the implications were to this revelation. Fortunately, my Mom had signed a legal document, when she was of sound mind, to prevent her from being assisted with suicide or euthanasia. I told the doctor that my mother, who was a woman of faith, may have wanted to die but she didn’t want to be killed. By the grace of God she recovered and on her 94th birthday she went bowling with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She passed 3 months later of natural causes.

My mother was offered help through support and a reason to live – not killing. How many mentally compromised people will die if the law is changed to allow MAID for the mentally ill? How can it even be legal for a mentally ill person to make that kind of request?

I am begging you to vote yes to Bill C-218 on October 7th and put the brakes on this idea that the mentally ill should have access to assistance in dying and euthanasia.

Respectfully, 
Debbie Fisher