Euthanasia in France—Contrary to the Constitution, Hope, and Dignity

Open Letter to the Members of the Constitutional Council: Medical Aid in Dying in France—Contrary to the Constitution, Hope, and Dignity

Dr Paul Saba

By Dr Paul Saba, a family physician in Lachine Quebec.

You only need to walk through the halls of a hospital long enough to discover the reality that lies behind the numbers. Patients aren’t just medical records; they’re people. The difference between hope and despair often comes down to a door that opens… or remains closed. The new laws on assisted suicide claim to be about choice, but anyone who has worked in the medical field knows how quickly that “choice” crumbles under pressure. There’s the cancer patient living in a cramped, noisy apartment; the woman with a disability who can’t afford to go grocery shopping; the elderly man living alone who fears for his future. They’re told they have the right to die with dignity, but what they really need is the right to live with dignity.

Canada’s experience should give us pause for thought. Since 2016, when the law was first enacted, 100,000 Canadians have died by medical assistance in dying, many of whom still had years, even decades, left to live. What was initially presented as an option reserved for terminally ill patients has expanded to include people with chronic illnesses and mental health conditions. Quebec alone accounts for 8% of the total deaths by assisted dying, the highest rate in Canada and worldwide. These numbers are rising every year.

Initially, the system was based on strict criteria, but the boundaries have quietly shifted. We are hearing more and more stories of people requesting assisted dying because they are unable to access home care, accessible housing, or adequate food. “Dignity” is becoming a code word for cost-cutting, while the most vulnerable find themselves facing a maze with no way out. Consent is not a box to check. It is a conversation, a process, and, above all, a reflection of the options available to the individual.

When a person is sick, frightened, and overwhelmed by bills, to what extent is their freedom of choice truly real? Loneliness and poverty influence decisions just as much as physical distress or a diagnosis. Advocates for this cause believe that safeguards will hold firm, but in practice, the boundaries are shifting. The line between compassion and abandonment is blurring, especially when budgets are tight and beds are scarce. I have seen families exhausted by the burden of care, patients who would rather disappear than ask for help, and medical staff powerless in the face of bureaucracy.

France, just like Canada, lacks adequate health care, particularly when it comes to general practitioners, emergency room doctors, and timely access to specialists. Legalizing assisted suicide without fixing our failing health care systems is tantamount to telling people that some lives are too complicated to be supported. It is easier to pass a law than to put a safety net in place. True dignity comes from community, commitment, and the refusal to abandon anyone. Until every patient has a comfortable bed, quality care, and a sympathetic ear, we will not have the right to offer a way out.

Beyond these practical and moral concerns, the French bill also contradicts the country’s Constitution.

First, unlike in France, where the protection of health enjoys constitutional recognition (Preamble to the Constitution of October 27, 1946, para. 11, incorporated into the constitutional framework; see, in particular, the case law of the Constitutional Council), the Canadian Constitution contains no provision expressly guaranteeing such a right. The constitutional mandate of the French state is to protect life and health by guaranteeing access to care, treatment, and palliative care, rather than by establishing a medical aid in dying program.

Furthermore, the law on medical assistance in dying disproportionately affects vulnerable groups, particularly people with disabilities, chronic illnesses, or associated mental health conditions who, in the absence of adequate care and social support, may feel pressured to end their lives prematurely. This constitutes a direct violation of the constitutional right not only to health and life but also to equality, as it creates a situation where certain citizens are effectively encouraged to die because their needs are not being met.

Similarly, the principle of liberty requires that consent be free and informed. However, when a person is experiencing physical or associated psychological distress, is isolated, and lacks support, their ability to make a clear and not coerced decision is compromised. The law’s failure to guarantee truly voluntary consent risks undermining this fundamental constitutional liberty.

Let me tell you a story. Eight years ago, John (a pseudonym), a highly knowledgeable engineer, came to see me for a cough. A chest X-ray suggested lung cancer. He could have given up at that point, since Canadian law allows patients to refuse tests and seek assisted dying prematurely. But I convinced him to undergo further testing. It turned out to be Hodgkin’s lymphoma, It is entirely treatable. Today, John is alive and in good health.

Unfortunately, a recent study revealed that 13% of patients who died by assisted suicide after a diagnosis of lung cancer had never undergone a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis and were less likely to consult oncologists or receive treatment.

Another patient, Rachel (also a pseudonym), in her 50s, was diagnosed with breast cancer. After surgery, tumor cells remained and grew rapidly. At first, frightened and desperate, she refused chemotherapy and immunotherapy, even going so far as to stop eating. Eventually, she agreed to treatment and made a full recovery. Rachel said that cancer can drive a person crazy and cloud their judgment. It was hope that saved her. 

These are not isolated cases. As a physician responsible for reviewing cases of assisted dying, I find that most involve people suffering from medical conditions or disabilities exacerbated by social isolation, feelings of being a burden, loss of autonomy, and psychological distress. Physical pain, which could be relieved, is often the least common reason.

A recent study estimated that making assisted dying available to vulnerable groups in Canada—including, but not limited to, the homeless, people with substance use disorders, retirees, the elderly, and Indigenous communities—could save 1,273 billion CAD (791 billion EUR) by 2047, resulting in 2.6 million deaths. This scenario could easily apply to France if it were to follow the same path.

This raises a frightening question: Are we broadening eligibility criteria to eliminate citizens for financial gain rather than to care for and support them? This approach devalues human life and fosters a dangerous mindset, according to which the easy solution to complex health and social problems is to eliminate vulnerable individuals rather than invest in care. It creates a conflict of interest in which governments profit, directly or indirectly, from the deaths of their citizens. It also raises profound ethical questions for healthcare professionals.

France has the opportunity to prevent this. Do not be fooled by rhetoric about autonomy and dignity when basic needs are not being met. Assisted dying destroys hope. It pushes people to give up before their time. Hope is the greatest strength of quality care—the conviction that every step forward counts. Assisted dying prematurely puts an end to that hope.

I urge you to protect the most vulnerable, to invest in care, and to reject laws that offer shortcuts instead of safety nets and options for extended care. Until every patient has access to the care, support, and dignity they deserve, no law authorizing assisted dying can be considered, much less regarded as an act of compassion.

Respectfully, 
Dr. Paul Saba 
Maître Natalia Manole 

Dr. Paul Saba is a Canadian physician who has practiced medicine around the world. He currently practices family medicine in Montreal. He is a co-founder of the Physicians' Alliance against Euthanasia (https://collectifmedecins.org/en/about/) and author of the book *Made to Live* (madetolive.com) +1 514-886-3447 

Québec physician urges France to reject euthanasia.

Last week, France's Senate rejected the euthanasia bill for the third time. France's constitution allows the National Assembly to bipass the opposition from the Senate and pass the euthanasia bill. The National Assembly has scheduled a vote on the euthanasia bill on July 15.

Dr Paul Saba

The following letter from Dr Paul Saba was sent (in French) to the members of France's National Assembly.

To the Honorable Members of the National Assembly,

As France debates the legalization of medical assistance in dying, as a family physician in Montreal, Canada, I would like to warn the French people against the risks of embarking on this path that Canada has been following since 2016.

Let me begin with a personal experience. Eight years ago, one of my patients, Jim (a pseudonym), came to see me for a cough, thinking he had a cold. I ordered a Chest X-Ray. According to the radiologist’s report, Jim appeared to have lung cancer. I sat down with Jim and told him, “We need to do a CT scan immediately. You need to see a specialist. We need to do a bronchoscopy…”

Jim replied, “Dr. Saba, I know you’re against assisted suicide, but you know what? I don’t necessarily agree with you. “If I'm going to die, if my time has come...” I replied, "No, no. You need to go through all the steps of the diagnostic process, because this is only a preliminary diagnosis. Even if it is lung cancer, it's a disease that can be treated today. There are new treatments available. It might not even be lung cancer.”

I spoke with the radiologist who had performed the lung CT scan; he told me, “We don’t know exactly what it is. It looks like lung cancer, but it could be lymphoma, which would be highly treatable. ”

Jim is an intelligent, well-informed man, an engineer, who thought he had a cold, only to be told he might have cancer. He could have resigned himself to medical assistance in dying before even knowing what it was, since Canadian law allows a person to refuse all the testing necessary to confirm the diagnosis. He could have lost hope when the situation was still full of hope.

The power to move people to give up is one of the dangerous and misleading aspects of medically assisted dying. However, I was able to get his attention and persuade him that the situation was hopeful and that he should get more tests and undergo treatment. Today eight years after diagnosis, investigations and treatment he is happy to be alive with no further evidence of disease. He was finally diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which is a condition that is highly curable with targeted medical treatment.

A recent Canadian study found that nearly one-third of patients diagnosed with “lung cancer” who died by assisted suicide did not have a biopsy-confirmed diagnosis of lung cancer. Furthermore, they were less likely to consult a radiation oncologist or medical oncologist and less likely to receive treatment. This is what happens when the door is opened to assisted dying.

Since 2016, more than 100,000 Canadians have undergone assisted death —many with years or even decades, to live. What was initially began as an option reserved for terminally ill patients has expanded to include people suffering from chronic illnesses, often with associated mental health issues (psychological distress). The numbers continue to rise each year (Sixth Annual Report on Medical Assistance in Dying). Quebec, the province where I practice medicine, has the highest rate of medical assistance in dying in Canada and the world, accounting for 7.6% of all deaths. (Québec MAiD data). 

In 2021, the law was expanded to include people with chronic illnesses and disabilities, in addition to those suffering from terminal illnesses. Those with fragile health are also considered candidates for assisted death.

As a physician, I serve on a committee at one of Canada’s most prestigious medical centers, responsible for reviewing cases of medical assistance in dying. The majority of the cases I have reviewed involve people with medical conditions or disabilities, most of whom have associated psychological and social factors that strongly influence their decision to seek medical assistance in dying. These factors include social isolation, feelings of being a burden, loss of autonomy, and psychological distress. Physical pain is the least common reason. My experience is corroborated by the recent Canadian report on medical assistance in dying. (Sixth Annual Report on Medical Assistance in Dying).  

Another of my patients, Rachel (a pseudonym), in her fifties, underwent a screening mammogram followed by a biopsy that confirmed a diagnosis of breast cancer, which was treated surgically. However, traces of tumor cells remained and were growing rapidly. She was advised to undergo chemotherapy and immunotherapy, but she refused out of fear of side effects. She had given up hope and had even stopped eating. Eventually, she was persuaded to undergo treatment, which she ultimately accepted. Rachel has recovered very well: there is no longer any trace of the tumor or metastases. She says that when you have cancer, it can drive you crazy and prevent you from making good decisions.

Ultimately, hope is one of the most powerful forces driving quality medical care. When I say hope is a powerful force for health, I mean that hope inspires us to be patient, to seeing processes through, and to regard every step as part of the great gift of being made for life. Assisted death destroys this hope and leads people to give up on life before their time. For these reasons, I ask you to vote against medical assistance in dying.

Dr. Paul Saba is a Canadian who has practiced medicine in Canada and around the world. He currently practices family medicine in Montreal. He is a co-founder of the Physicians' Alliance against Euthanasia (https://collectifmedecins.org/en/about/) and author of the book *Made to Live* (madetolive.com) +1 514-886-3447

Dr Paul Saba: In most cases the desire to die is a symptom of mental illness.

Dr Paul Saba

This is the Speech by Dr Paul Saba at the EPC Parliamentary Press Conference on April 13, 2026. 

Dr Saba is a family physicians from Lachine Quebec who is well known for his clinical experience for caring for patients with disabilities and difficult health conditions.

His presentation was delivered in English and French.

People with only a mental disorder will be euthanized as of March 17, 2027. This, despite the overwhelming evidence that people with mental disorders can be treated, and that most psychiatrists cannot determine which patient has an irremediable (irreversible) condition.

From a legal standpoint, those with mental disorders requesting euthanasia which has been euphemistically called medical assistance in dying (MAID), do not meet the condition of free and informed consent because the desire to die is in most cases a symptom of mental illness.

Bill C-218 which will be voted this week in Ottawa, would stop euthanizing (MAID) people with mental health disorders as the sole criterion. This bill must be supported by our Members of Parliament.

Dans la plupart des cas, le désir de mourir est un symptôme de maladie mentale.

90% des personnes qui mettent fin à leurs jours sont atteintes d'un trouble mental au moment de leur suicide. La plupart des personnes qui ont tenté ou réussi à se suicider ne veulent pas mourir ; ils veulent plutôt échapper à leur détresse émotionnelle

Selon une étude de la Harvard School of Public Health, 90% personnes ayant tenté de se suicider sans succès ne se sont pas suicidées après le traitement. Avec le bon traitement, le suicide a disparu.

In most cases the desire to die is a symptom of mental illness.

According to a Harvard School of Public Health study, 9 out of 10 people who attempted suicide but were unsuccessful in their attempt, did not commit suicide following treatment. With the right treatment, suicide disappeared.

One of my patient’s who couldn’t be here today, asked me to tell her story. In her 20’s she was a mother of three small children. She was involved in an abusive relationship. To end her emotional anguish she attempted suicide by hanging. Her neighbour found her and removed the cord around her neck saving her life. If she had been euthanized she wouldn’t have survived because euthanasia with a lethal injection is a guaranteed death- no survivors. Today she’s happy to be alive and mothered another son and has 4 grandchildren.

La plupart des personnes atteintes de troubles mentaux ont besoin du soutien de psychiatres, de psychologues et de travailleurs sociaux qui sont rares dans notre système de santé publique.

Beaucoup vivent dans des situations financières et sociales précaires. Ils ont besoin d’un soutien financier, notamment d’un logement abordable et d’une sécurité alimentaire.

Au Québec, le délai moyen d'attente entre la référence à un psychiatre et le traitement est de 5 mois. 

Most people with mental health conditions need support from psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers, who are scarce in our public healthcare system.

Many live in precarious financial and social situations. They need financial support, including affordable housing and food security. 

In Quebec, the average wait time between a referral to a psychiatrist and treatment is five months.

In Quebec, where the waiting time is to see a psychiatrist after being referred is at least five months and most cases longer. In the MAID law next year a patient after being accepted for euthanasia will have a three month wait before the lethal injection is given.

With an average five month waiting time to see a psychiatrist, it’s likely that that a person would get a call to see a psychiatrist 2 months or longer after having been legally injected.

In addition to psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers we must ensure access to a wide variety of alternative treatments, including art, music, dance, pet, recreation and other therapies. We must also ensure free medications, affordable housing, and food security.

A study published in Sage Journal last year 2025 explored the potential cost savings to governments by expanding medical assisted dying to include vulnerable groups with mental illness. These groups included people those with mental health issues, the homeless, drug users, retired, elderly, and indigenous communities. They estimated projected savings of $1.273 trillion between 2027- 2047 with an estimated 2.6 million deaths in the voluntary group mostly the mentally ill and elderly populations.

I quote the authors of the journal:

"this cost-saving measure raises significant ethical concerns. Financially incentivizing MAiD could shift healthcare priorities away from providing necessary support, potentially devaluing vulnerable lives and fostering a troubling reliance on assisted death as an economic solution."

Les personnes atteintes de problème de santé mentale ont besoin de soins, de traitements et de soutien. Ils ne doivent pas être euthanasiés (AMM).

Ils doivent voter en faveur du projet de loi C-218 et non pour l’euthanasie des personnes ayant des problèmes de santé mentale. 

People with mental health problems need care, treatment, and support. They should not be euthanized (MAID). 

Members of Parliament need to vote in favour of Bill C-218, not for the euthanasia of people with mental health problems.

Previous articles and comments by Dr Paul Saba (Articles Link).

EPC: Physicians urge Canadian government not to expand euthanasia.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Dr Blusanovics, Alex Schadenberg, Dr Saba

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC) urges Canadians to sign our petition in support of Bill C-218. (Petition Link).

The EPC held a successful bilingual press conference at the Parliamentary Press Gallery on the morning of Monday, April 13 before our rally on Parliament Hill.

(Link to the full video of the Press Conference)

Brian Passifiume reported on the EPC Press Conference for the Toronto Sun on April 13. Passifiume outlines the article by stating that Canada is set to widen eligibility criteria for euthanasia next year. Passifiume reports:

During a Monday morning news conference in West Block, members of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition offered their support for Bill C-218, a private member’s bill intended to prevent next year’s inclusion of mental illness as the sole medical condition for seeking physician-assisted suicide.

Dr Peter Blusanovics

Dr Peter Blusanovics, a physician from Montreal Quebec with 30 years experience caring for patients in psychiatric wards. Passifiume reported him saying:

“I want to provide a voice to our most vulnerable, those who have or are suffering from mental illness,”

“Basic needs are currently not being met in our healthcare system. Without (Bill C-218,) we are condoning a bypass towards suicide, and blatantly admitting defeat.”

Mental illness, he said, needs to be identified and treated. He said those seeking to commit medical suicide aren’t seeking death, but healing.

“There is a current lack of medical support, such as physicians, psychologists, social workers — there is a lack of psychiatric support and long waiting lists to be assessed,” said Blusanovics, a physician at a Montreal psychiatric hospital.

Passifiume stated that Canada plans to extend euthanasia to people with psychiatric conditions alone starting on March 17, 2027. Passifiume reports that:

Patients seeking MAID are assigned to one of two tracks: Track one for those with terminal illnesses or whom natural death is near; and track two for those whose death is not a reasonable outcome in the foreseeable future.

Although Statistics Canada doesn’t include MAID in its annual top-10 list of most common causes of death, government figures said 16,499 Canadians died via MAID in 2024 — making medical suicide that year’s fourth most common cause of death between accidents (20,260) and strokes (13,725.)

Passifiume explained that MP Tamara Jansen introduced Bill C-218 last year to stop the implementation of euthanasia for mental illness alone in March 2027.

Dr Paul Saba

Passifiume then commented on the statements by Dr Paul Saba, a family physician from Lachine Quebec who said:

there’s no way for most psychiatrists to determine which patients’ conditions are untreatable.

“From a legal standpoint, those with mental disorders requesting euthanasia, which has been euphemistically called ‘medical assistance in dying,’ do not meet the condition of free and informed consent, because the desire to die in most cases is a symptom of mental illness,”

Passifiume ends his article by commenting on the Alberta governments proposed changes through Bill 18 to there provincial euthanasia protocols. Passifiume reports:

Last month, Alberta’s provincial legislature tabled a bill that would prevent their physicians from prescribing MAID for track two patients — citing patient safety and growing skepticism for the federal government’s efforts to expand MAID eligibility.

“The consequences of the decision are permanent and irrevocable, and because of this, we have an obligation to consider MAID with the utmost care and caution,” Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said at a news conference in Edmonton last month.

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition urges Canadians to sign our petition in support of Bill C-218. (Petition Link).

Join the EPC rally on Parliament Hill on Monday April 13.

Join the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition on Monday, April 13 for one hour at 12 noon as we rally to support Bill C-218 and as we mourn the loss of 100,000 Canadians to euthanasia since legalization.

Email info@epcc.ca if you plan to attend.

We are supporting Tamara Jansen (MP) (the sponsor of Bill C-218) and we urge Members of Parliament to support Bill C-218, the bill that will reverse the law permitting euthanasia for mental illness alone. 

Canada is scheduled to permit euthanasia for mental illness alone, starting on March 17, 2027, Bill C-218 will prevent it.

Canada will also surpass 100,000 euthanasia deaths since legalization in mid-late April 2026 (Read article).

We mourn 100,000 Canadians who were killed by euthanasia.

For more information contact EPC at: info@epcc.ca

Canada's parliament has also appointed a new Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying to examine the issue of MAiD for mental illness (Read article).

Plan now to attend the rally on April 13.

EPC Press Conference on Monday April 13 at 9:30 am.

April 10, 2026

Media Release

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC) is hosting a press conference at the Parliamentary Press Gallery Room 135-B in West Block (Ottawa) on Monday April 13 at: 9:30 am.

EPC is a national organization that works to prevent euthanasia and assisted suicide since 1998.

The EPC has more than 7000 supporters comprised of medical professionals, disability leaders and regular citizens from every region of the country.

Our Media Conference will focus on:

• Support for Bill C-218 and opposition to MAiD for Mental Illness alone, a provision that is scheduled to begin on March 17, 2027.
• The fact that as of mid-April, 100,000 Canadians will have died by MAiD since legalization less than 10 years ago.

Our speakers:

Dr. Peter Blusanovics is a Montreal Quebec physician who cares for patients at a leading psychiatric hospital in Montreal.

Dr. Paul Saba is a family physicians from Lachine Quebec who is well known for his clinical experience for caring for patients with disabilities and difficult health conditions.

Alex Schadenberg is the Executive Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition who will speak about the current MAiD data. We mourn 100,000 MAiD deaths in Canada.

The press conference will be followed by a short rally (rain or shine) on Parliament Hill starting at 12 pm.

For more information contact:

Alex Schadenberg,
Executive Director
Euthanasia Prevention Coalition
519-851-1434 (cell)

EPC Press Conference: Support Bill C-218. No MAiD for Mental Illness.

Parliamentary Press Gallery - December 5, 2025

Euthanasia Prevention Coalition Press Conference at the Parliamentary Press Gallery in Ottawa on December 5, 2025 - No MAiD for Mental Illness.

EPC film: No MAiD for Mental Illness (Link).

My name is Alex Schadenberg and I am the Executive Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC). EPC is a Coalition of groups and individuals from all walks of life and beliefs that oppose euthanasia and assisted suicide.

Today we have with us, from remote: Kelsi Sheren, a military veteran, business owner, speaker, writer and social media influencer, and Alicia Duncan, whose mother died by euthanasia in 2021 based on circumstances related to her mother’s mental health. Alicia has become a world-wide speaker, author and advocate. Dr Paul Saba (in-person), is a well-known family physician in Lachine Quebec. (Link to the Press Conference Video)

Today we are speaking about Bill C-218, the Private Members Bill that is sponsored by Tamara Jansen (MP - Cloverdale - Langley City) to exclude mental illness as being a “grievous and irremediable medical condition.”

This minor change to the criminal code will prevent persons with their sole condition being a mental illness, from being approved for medical assistance in dying, better known as euthanasia.

Canada legalized euthanasia by creating exception to the criminal code for homicide, therefore MAiD or euthanasia has enabled doctors and nurse practitioners to poison their patients to death.

The issue of MAiD for mental illness brings other questions into the debate such as: Is the request to be killed part a symptom of their mental health condition? Is the person fully competent to consent to be killed? Could the person recover with treatment at some time in the future?

I want to share part of the story that we received from Kathryn:

It's been 4,620 days since my suicide attempt. Leading up to it, I'd been diagnosed with a cornucopia of mental illnesses (including, at different times, schizo-affective disorder, bipolar disorder type II, agoraphobia, panic disorder, and others). I felt, at the time, that even if my situation could get better in the future, I was too exhausted to continue to live until it did improve. I had been so highly medicated and sleep deprived that I was convinced, beyond all arguments, that I needed to die to end my suffering.

At the time of my suicide attempt, I was unable to attend school. I was unable to regularly sleep through the night due to night terrors and a psychotic detachment from reality. While awake, I experienced almost hourly panic attacks, which wreaked havoc on my already underweight and exhausted body. I could not have dreamed of ever being capable of working, of living a life without extreme support measures, or considering myself to be a generally happy person.

Recently, I got married, and my husband and I are expecting our first child. I was able to finish high school, I got my college diploma and have maintained ongoing full-time employment for 4 years. I received the support I truly needed, and no longer require medication to live a fulfilling, beautiful life. I cannot remember the last time I had a panic attack. I look forward to the years ahead of me now, and enjoy the days as they come, even when I might feel tired or discouraged. I am so proud of the girl I was, who endured so much hardship to overcome the seemingly endless, and utterly hopeless pit of mental illness I was trapped in. I am so grateful for a medical system that could not suggest that my suicidal desires might have actually been good, true or helpful. I am so thankful to be alive. I do not doubt that had euthanasia been a lawful option, I would have sought it wholeheartedly, and I am moved to grief when I consider that the difference between life and death, for me, could have so easily had a different outcome.

Canadians deserve better mental health care than death. Canadians deserve the dignity of our suffering and burden being shared and earnestly helped. Canadians deserve more than euthanasia.

There are many Kathryn’s in Canada who need the law to protect them, not kill them.

Bill C-218, a private members bill that would prevent MAiD for Mental Illness alone in Canada. (Link to the campaign article).

Media Advisory: We support Bill C-218. No to MAiD for Mental Illness.

We support Bill C-218. No to MAiD for Mental Illness. (Link to Media Advisory)

Press Conference: Friday, December 5, 2025 at 10 a.m.

Location: Parliamentary Press Gallery – Room 135B West Block

Alex Schadenberg

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC) is hosting a press conference at the Parliamentary Press Gallery in Ottawa on Friday, December 5, at 10 am.

The press conference will focus on our support for Bill C-218, a private members bill that will prevent the implementation MAiD for mental illness alone, and the reality of permitting MAiD for mental illness alone.

Bill C-218 receives its first hour of debate in parliament on December 5 at 1:30 pm.

Alicia Duncan

Speakers: Alex Schadenberg, EPC Executive Director, Alicia Duncan, whose mother died by MAiD based on mental health, Kelsi Sheren, Combat veteran, CEO, mental health expert and social media influencer, and Dr Paul Saba, a family physician in Lachine Québec who will speak about his experience.

The press conference will focus on our support for Bill C-218, the private members bill that will prevent the implementation MAiD for mental illness alone, and the reality of permitting MAiD for mental illness alone.

Kelsi Sheren

Alex Schadenberg will share key stories from people who have lived with chronic mental health issues.

Alicia Duncan will speak about the MAiD death of her mother and her personal experience with MAiD for mental illness.

Kelsi Sheren, who is a Canada combat veteran who required treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after returning from Afghanistan will speak about the affect of allowing MAiD for mental illness.

Dr Paul Saba

Dr Paul Saba is a family physician in Lachine Québec who has personal experience with caring for people with mental health related trauma.

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

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

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

Dr Paul Saba: No to euthanasia for mental illness.

Dr Paul Saba - Parliamentary Press Gallery Speech for the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition in support of Bill C-218, the bill that will prevent euthanasia for mental illness alone, on October 28, 2025. Dr Saba's speech begins at 15 minutes 25 seconds.

Sign the petition supporting Bill C-218 (Petition Link).

People with only a mental disorder may be euthanized as of March 2027. 

This, despite the overwhelming evidence that people with mental disorders can be treated, and that most psychiatrists cannot determine which patient has an irremediable (irreversible and treatable) condition. 

From a legal standpoint, those with mental disorders requesting medical assistance in dying (MAID), do not meet the condition of free and informed consent because the desire to die is in most cases a symptom of mental illness. 

Bill C-218 which will be debated later this year in Ottawa, will stop euthanasia (MAID) for people with mental health disorders as the sole criterion and must be supported by our members of parliament who value life. 

Le projet de loi C218 mettra fin à l’adoption de l’euthanasie (AMM) des personnes atteintes de troubles de santé mentale comme seul critère. Dans la plupart des cas, le désir de mourir est un symptôme de maladie mentale. 90% des personnes qui mettent fin à leurs jours sont atteintes d'un trouble mental au moment de leur suicide. 

La plupart des personnes qui ont tenté ou réussi à se suicider ne veulent pas mourir; ils veulent plutôt échapper à leur détresse émotionnelle Selon une étude de la Harvard School of Public Health, 90% personnes ayant tenté de se suicider sans succès ne se sont pas suicidées après le traitement. Avec le bon traitement, le suicide a disparu. 

La plupart des personnes atteintes de troubles mentaux ont besoin du soutien de psychiatres, de psychologues et de travailleurs sociaux. Beaucoup vivent dans des situations financières et sociales précaires. Ils ont besoin d’un soutien financier, notamment d’un logement abordable et d’une sécurité alimentaire. 

Le système social et de santé canadien est déficient pour les personnes ayant des problèmes de santé mentale. Au Québec, le délai moyen d'attente entre la référence à un psychiatre et le traitement est de 5 mois. 

Les psychologues sont rares et rarement accessibles dans le système public. Il est temps que les députés fassent preuve de solidarité et soutiennent les personnes atteintes de troubles de santé mentale. 

Ils ont besoin de soins, de traitements et de soutien. Ils ne doivent pas être euthanasiés (AMM). Les parlementaires doivent mettre fin à l’aide médicale à mourir pour les personnes atteintes de troubles mentaux. 

Ils doivent voter en faveur du projet de loi C-218 et non pour l’euthanasie des personnes ayant des problèmes de santé mentale. 

Picture: (Gordon Friesen, Alex Schadenberg, Dr Paul Saba and Kelsi Sheren) 

Media Advisory: No to MAiD for Mental Illness.

Gordon Friesen

Media Advisory: No to MAiD for Mental Illness.

Press Conference: Tuesday October 28, 2025 at 11:00 a.m.

Location: Parliamentary Press Gallery – Room 135B West Block

The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC) is hosting a press conference on October 28 at 11 a.m. in the Parliamentary Press Gallery.

Speakers: Gordon Friesen, EPC President, Paul Saba, Montréal Family Physician, Alex Schadenberg, EPC Executive Director, and Kelsi Sheren, Combat veteran, CEO and mental health expert.

Alex Schadenberg

The press conference will focus on why Bill C-218, the private members bill that will prevent the implementation of euthanasia, or “medical assistance in dying” (“MAiD”), for mental illness alone, needs to be passed into law.

Gordon Friesen will speak about the lived experience of people with disabilities with relation to euthanasia in Canada.

Alex Schadenberg will speak about what is happening with euthanasia in Canada and explain why Bill C-218 must be passed into law.

Kelsi Sheren

Kelsi Sheren will speak about her experience as a veteran who required treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after returning from combat in Afghanistan. Euthanasia for mental illness threatens her life as she would qualify if it were already permitted.

Dr Paul Saba will explain that 90% of people who attempt a suicide and receive treatment do not want to die. Most psychiatrists do not support euthanasia for mental illness because of their concern for their vulnerable patients. It is also impossible to decide whether a mental health condition is irremediable.

Dr Paul Saba

Contact Alex Schadenberg at 519-851-1434 or email: alex@epcc.ca

Participation in the question and answer portion of this event is in person or via Zoom, and is for accredited members of the Press Gallery only. Media who are not members of the Press Gallery may contact pressres2@parl.gc.ca for temporary access.

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.

More articles on this topic:

• 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).