One families experience with mental health. Support Bill C-218

The point I wish to make is that even patients who have failed to improve with every other treatment must not be written off as being without hope!

We received this letter from Sharon Hunt in Saskatchewan.

Our family hopes that the story of my nephew Sean might help to strengthen the case against expanding MAID eligibility for the mentally ill. 

Sean suffered from obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety disorder, and depressive disorder, in addition to several physical conditions which were not life threatening. The list of unbelievably terrible encounters with emergency services at the hospital, the psychiatric unit and psychiatrists is long. Years of failed treatment, adverse effects of medicines, episodes of psychosis, days of weeping and dealing with tremors were all made worse by poverty and anxiety over housing. His mom was his main caregiver, and because of inadequacy of our social safety net, she did this at sacrifice to her own well-being and to her financial security in retirement. (Their hope was for the federal plan for Disability without Poverty, which had stalled for years in Ottawa.) 

Eventually his mom was able to raise money (using a go fund me page on social media) for Sean to receive treatment at a special Ketamine clinic. That’s when a miracle began to unfold! Ketamine can be dangerous and has been known to kill persons who were self medicating. But in the controlled environment of the clinic, with anesthesiologist and counsellor present, Sean began to respond at the very first treatment! The problem was that Ketamine is not covered under the provincial drug plan and is prohibitively expensive for most people. The point I wish to make is that even patients who have failed to improve with every other treatment must not be written off as being without hope! Relegating them to death by MAID would be a very serious mistake!

In the end, we were still watching Sean’s progress toward a better life when he died very unexpectedly at age 39 from an undiagnosed heart condition.

Because of his mom’s advocacy, the Saskatchewan Mental Health Association established “Sean’s Fund”, a charity dedicated to improving the lives of persons with intellectual disabilities due to mental illness. It’s a lesson in hopeful action that must not be lost on our parliamentarians as they go to vote on Bill C-218.

Sincerely, Sharon Hunt

Bill C-218 will go to a vote on October 7. Call your Member of Parliament.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Bill C-218, the bill to prevent euthanasia for mental illness as a sole criteria was debated on December 5, 2025 and September 23, 2026 and will go to a vote on October 7.

The easiest way to support Bill C-218 is to call your Member of Parliament before October 7 and tell your MP to support Bill C-218. The phone number is part of the MP contact information. (Member of Parliament List).

In March 2021, the Canada's parliament expanded the euthanasia law by passing Bill C-7. One of the expansions in the law  permitted euthanasia for a mental illness alone. but, at that time, the government declared a two-year moratorium to provide time to prepare for the change.

The government delayed the implementation of euthanasia for mental illness, as a sole criteria, three times with implementation now approved for March 17, 2027.

Tamara Jansen (MP - Cloverdale - Langley City) introduced private members Bill C-218 to prevent euthanasia (MAiD) for mental illness as the sole criteria. 

Bill C-218 excludes mental illness from being defined as a "grievous and irremediable medical condition" for the purposes of MAiD. Bill C-218, if passed will prevent MAID for mental illness as a sole criteria.

The vote on Bill C-218 is scheduled for Wednesday, October 7, 2026.

There are several ways that you can help Bill C-218 be passed:

1. Sign the petition in support of Bill C-218 (Link).
2. It is easiest to call your Member of Parliament. The phone number is part of the MP contact information. (Member of Parliament List).
3. Contact your Member of Parliament (MP) by email and share your support for Bill C-218. Contact your Member of Parliament at: (Member of Parliament List).
4. Refer to the information in the Bill C-218 handout for Members of Parliament (Link).
5. Send your personal stories about living with mental illness to info@epcc.ca.
6. Share your story about living with mental illness, as Andrew Lawton (MP) did: I got better. Support Bill C-218 prevent MAiD for Mental Illness (Link). 

Remember. The majority of Canadians do not support MAiD for mental illness. 

Mario Canseco, the President of Research Co, was published by Business Intelligence for BC with polling indicating that the majority of Canadians do not support (MAiD) euthanasia for mental illness. Conseco reported that:

At this point, only an adult with a grievous and irremediable medical condition can seek medical assistance in dying in Canada. An expansion that would cover mental illness is expected to come into place in March 2027. Just over two in five Canadians (42 per cent, down one point) believe mental illness is a good reason for a person to request medical assistance in dying.

To pass, Bill C-218 needs Member of Parliament from all political parties to support it. Keys to speaking to your Member of Parliament:

• Only comment on MAiD for mental illness alone. Bill C-218 only deals with that issue. There are many concerns, but mixing issues weakens your position.
• Contact your Member of Parliament, even if you know his/her position on MAiD.
• Ask others, including groups that you belong to, to contact the Member of Parliament.

More information on Bill C-218.

• Bill C-218 introduced to prevent MAiD for Mental Illness (Link). 
• Support Bill C-218. No to MAiD for Mental Illness (Link). 
• Supporting Bill C-218 - I am so thankful to be alive (Link). 
• I got better. Support Bill C-218 prevent MAiD for Mental Illness (Link). 
• My story: No to MAiD for Mental Illness (Link). 
• Patti's story. Support Bill C-218. (Link).
• The majority of Canadians do not support MAiD (euthanasia) for mental illness (Link).