vancouver, british columbia — 

The Canadian government has postponed the implementation of medically assisted death for individuals with mental illness.

Individuals with mental health conditions were expected to have the option of utilizing Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) starting on March 17. However, the government, led by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, has recently announced a second postponement of this legislation, which was initially passed in 2021.

The postponement was a result of a suggestion from a majority of the committee’s members, comprised of both senators and members of Parliament.

Chris Considine, a lawyer from British Columbia, is well-known for supporting MAID. In the 1990s, he was the legal representative for Sue Rodriguez, a terminally ill patient suffering from ALS.

The Supreme Court of Canada originally denied their request for a medically assisted death. However, in 2016, a new law was passed that allowed euthanasia for those with terminal illnesses. Over the span of 6 years, more than 45,000 individuals opted for this option.

Considine expressed support for delaying the expansion of the law to include those suffering from mental illness. He noted that depression can stem from various factors, such as inadequate housing or limited job opportunities. He also highlighted the challenges that individuals often encounter in obtaining prompt psychiatric assistance.

He stated that there were multiple factors within Canadian society that led to the request for a delay.

He stated that there was pressure from various sources, including provincial governments in Canada. Many of these governments believed they were unable to provide the necessary funding and resources for individuals with depression to access healthcare professionals like psychologists and psychiatrists.

Pamela Wallin, formerly a journalist, was one of the three senators who were in the minority on the parliamentary committee. In an interview with VOA, she stated that while medical experts are prepared, politicians are not. She believes that prolonging the delay is unkind.

“If you are struggling with a mental illness, unfortunately, we have already made you undergo a three-year process and assured you that it would be completed. However, we are now going to prolong the wait for another three years as we contemplate further. It is disheartening to think that we would subject individuals who are experiencing unimaginable suffering to this delay.”

According to Sally Thorne, a retired nursing professor from the University of British Columbia, individuals with mental illness who want to request medical assistance in ending their lives must fulfill the same criteria as those with physical ailments that are not expected to result in death, but who have ongoing and debilitating health conditions.

The criteria involve assessments from several physicians, including a specialist in the patient’s specific ailment, providing alternative treatment options, and a waiting period of 90 days.

Thorne expressed no concern about the argument that individuals with mental disorders are unable to provide consent.

According to her, individuals in our society who make major decisions such as purchasing a house or giving consent for cardiac surgery are able to distinguish between having a mental illness and being capable of giving informed consent.

Thorne noted the unique contradiction that individuals with both mental illness and qualifying physical ailments are able to legally receive assistance in dying.

According to Arthur Schafer, the original leader of the Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics at the University of Manitoba, the recent decision to pause was not surprising and was based on faulty reasoning.

“I believe that when individuals are being asked for their opinions in a public setting, there is an assumption that those with mental illness may not be capable or may be temporarily experiencing depression, making them vulnerable. However, this is not always the case,” he stated.

Nicole Scheidl, the head of Physicians for Life in Ottawa, is firmly against euthanasia and believes that the concept of expanding MAID to include those with mental health issues should be permanently abandoned.

She expressed her opinion, saying that she believes it should be abandoned. She doesn’t believe there is any medical proof to support the creation of practical and useful clinical practice guidelines.

The Canadian government, led by Trudeau, has declared that the postponement will continue until at least 2027. This will shift the problem to a later date, after the upcoming federal election, which must occur by October 20, 2025 at the latest.

Source: voanews.com