EPC Press Conference: Vote YES on Bill C-218

Media Advisory  (Link to Media Advisory)

Alex Schadenberg

Bill C-218, the bill to prevent MAiD for Mental Illness as a sole criteria, will go to a vote on October 7.

Bilingual Press Conference: Wednesday, October 7, at 11 am

Parliamentary Press Gallery (Ottawa) - Room 135B West Block

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC) is hosting a press conference at the Parliamentary Press Gallery in Ottawa on October 7 at 11 am.

Dr Normand-Rivest

Speakers include: 

• Dr Laurence Normand-Rivest, is a Montreal family physician who cares for geriatric patients and provides in-home palliative care,
• Dr Paul Saba is a family physician in Lachine Québec who has personal experience with caring for people with mental health related trauma,
• Odile Marcotte, a retired professor from the Université du Québec à Montréal and a former deputy director of the Centre de recherches mathématiques, and a EPC Board member.
• Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Dr Paul Saba

Dr Normand-Rivest and Dr Saba will focus on their professional and clinical experience while Odile Marcotte and Alex Schadenberg will focus on the issues related to Bill C-218.

On June 17, 2026; the report of the Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying (AMAD): Mental Disorder as the Sole Underlying Medical Condition: A Complex and Challenging Conversation Among Canadians - decided that the Government of Canada should amend the Criminal Code to indefinitely exclude persons whose sole underlying medical condition is a mental illness from eligibility for medical assistance in dying.

Odile Marcotte

The language of Bill C-218 accomplishes this recommendation.

One of the reasons for the (AMAD) committee recommendation was that leading psychiatrists in Canada said that it was impossible to determine if a mental illness or condition was irremediable.

For more information contact Alex Schadenberg at: 519-851-1434 or email: office@epcc.ca

To participate in-person or by zoom contact the Parliamentary Press Gallery at: pressres2@parl.gc.ca.

Seuls les membres de la tribune parlementaire peuvent participer à la période de questions et réponses, qui aura lieu sur place et via Zoom. Les médias qui ne sont pas membres de la tribune parlementaire peuvent communiquer avec pressres2@parl.gc.ca pour obtenir l'accès temporaire. 

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition has almost 60,000 supporters from different political beliefs who unite in opposition to MAiD (euthanasia).