Canada’s left-leaning government is currently implementing euthanasia at an alarming rate, averaging 36 citizens per day under the nation’s “assisted suicide” laws.
Canada, known for having some of the most permissive euthanasia laws globally, has been progressively relaxing regulations initially designed for terminally ill individuals, now extending the criteria to include less severe issues such as depression, homelessness, or mental illness. The scope has even broadened to cover “mature minors,” with a potential expansion to infants.
A recent report from Health Canada on government-assisted suicide reveals that euthanasia accounted for 4.1% of nationwide deaths in the past year, a notable increase from 3.3% in 2021. The 2022 report on Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID), released in October, disclosed that approximately 45,000 Canadians have lost their lives to euthanasia since its legalization in 2016.
In 2016, 1,018 Canadians underwent government-assisted suicide, a number that surged to a concerning 13,241 by 2022. This equates to an average of 36 individuals being euthanized daily in Canada last year, with an annual growth rate of 31.1% since 2019.
Data indicates that at least 81% of written requests for MAID were granted. Among the remaining 19%, only 3.5% were deemed ineligible, a percentage on a declining trend since 2019. Reasons for denial often included a lack of patient capacity.
Disturbingly, individuals who were offered medically assisted death (MAID) in Canada might have faced euthanasia if sufficient beds were available.
According to the Association for Reformed Political Action Canada (ARPA Canada), Quebec and British Columbia have the highest euthanasia rates, accounting for 6.6 percent and 5.5 percent of all deaths in those provinces, respectively. In contrast, Newfoundland and Labrador and Manitoba have the lowest rates, with euthanasia constituting only 1.5 percent and 2.1 percent of all deaths.
Health Canada outlines eligibility for MAID, requiring individuals to experience “intolerable physical or psychological suffering caused by their medical condition or state of decline that cannot be relieved under conditions they find acceptable.”
A survey of MAID recipients reveals that the primary source of their “intolerable suffering” is the “loss of [their] ability to engage in meaningful life activities,” with 86 percent experiencing this. At least 82 percent reported the loss of the ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL). Respondents could select multiple options, resulting in a total exceeding 100 percent.
Life advocate Amanda Achtman notes that this confirms “euthanasia is mainly [an] existential issue, not a pain-management or medical one.”
By March 17, 2024, individuals with mental illness as their sole underlying medical condition will be eligible for MAID. However, health experts argue against using mental illness alone as a criterion, citing challenges in determining its irreversibility and distinguishing between pathological suicidality and a rational desire to die.
Activists warn that Canada’s expanded assisted death policies pose risks for individuals with disabilities, low incomes, or other vulnerabilities. Michelle Hewitt, co-chair of Disability Without Poverty, cites the case of Sean Tagert, a man with ALS who opted for euthanasia due to difficulties securing adequate care.
Reports suggest that military veterans seeking treatment for PTSD and traumatic brain injury have been offered MAID by Veterans Affairs officials. The Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) acknowledged inappropriate discussions about MAID, prompting an ongoing investigation and assurances of “appropriate administrative action,” though specifics remain undisclosed due to privacy concerns. The VAC declined to discuss the frequency of such incidents or the guidance provided to employees on delivering such advice.
