Euthanasia in Canada

Euthanasia in Canada in its legal voluntary form is called Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD, also spelled MAID) and it first became legal along with assisted suicide in June 2016 for those whose death was reasonably foreseeable. Before this time, it was illegal as a form of culpable homicide. In March 2021, the law was further amended by Bill C-7 which to include those suffering from a grievous and irremediable condition whose death was not reasonably foreseeable. The planned inclusion of people with mental illnesses is controversial and has been repeatedly delayed. The legality of this postponement to 2027 is being challenged in court.

The intensity and breadth of Canada's MAID program has led to condemnation of its program by UN human rights experts and disability rights groups in Canada.[1] It has also been the subject of substantial international attention and criticism.[2][3][4] Human rights advocates have criticized Canada's euthanasia laws for lacking safeguards, devaluing the lives of disabled people, prompting health workers and doctors to suggest euthanasia to people who would not otherwise consider it, and killing people who were not receiving adequate government support to continue living.[1] According to the Fourth Annual Report on MAID, there were 13,241 MAID deaths reported in Canada in 2022.[5] The underlying medical conditions from MAID applications include cancer (63%), cardiovascular (18.8%), other at 14.9% (can be frailty, diabetes, chronic pain, autoimmune), respiratory (13.2%), and neurological conditions (12.6%). Seventy-seven percent of MAID recipients received palliative care and of the MAID recipients who did not receive palliative care 87.5% had access, a level similar to the three previous years.

  1. ^ a b Cheng, Maria (11 August 2022). "'Disturbing': Experts troubled by Canada's euthanasia laws". Associated Press. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  2. ^ "As Bill C-7 reaches Senate, UN watchdog raises concerns about MAiD for persons with disabilities". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2 February 2021.
  3. ^ Zhu, Yuan Yi (31 December 2022). "Most-read 2022: Why is Canada euthanising the poor?". The Spectator. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  4. ^ "As assisted dying broadens, countries wrestle with new ethical lines". Christian Science Monitor. ISSN 0882-7729. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Fourth annual report on Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada 2022". www.canada.ca. 26 October 2023. Retrieved 24 November 2023.

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