Canada is prohibiting assisted suicide access indefinitely for people whose only underlying condition is mental illness.
Sean Fraser, Canada’s justice minister, announced the decision Wednesday at the House of Commons.
“Canada has made a decision not to move forward with the expansion that is scheduled in the Criminal Code of medical assistance in dying in circumstances where mental illness is the sole basis,” he said. “When I hear that there is a lack of consensus in the medical community about the irremediable nature of certain mental illnesses, that gives me real cause for concern.”
He also told reporters on Parliament Hill, “While there is not a perfect consensus on this issue, we believe this is the correct approach at this particular time.”
Fraser announced that the Canadian government plans to introduce a law that suspends the expansion indefinitely.
An expansion to the provisions in the Criminal Code of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) had been scheduled for March 2027. The expansion would have included eligibility for MAiD where mental illness is the sole underlying condition.
What did experts tell the government?
The decision follows a June report from the special joint parliamentary committee, which recommended that the government “indefinitely exclude” people who seek MAiD solely due to a mental illness. The committee heard from more than three dozen witnesses and released an 88-page report that described a common theme—a “pressing need for increased and more equitable access to adequate mental health services.”
“Some psychiatrists argue that suffering can always be alleviated, which prevents it from being viewed as irremediable. Others disagree,” the report said. “On the other hand, all psychiatrists agree that several mental disorders are associated with suicidal ideation. For some, this makes it impossible to reliably determine whether the requisite consent has been given. For others, it is merely a factor that complicates the assessment of consent.”
Fraser said the decision was partly based on the fact that many doctors do not agree on when a mental illness can be considered “irremediable,” as well as “very real concerns about people who live in communities with inadequate access to mental-health services.”
Canadians can be considered for MAiD if they “have a serious illness, disease or disability,” “be in an advanced state of decline that cannot be reversed,” and “experience unbearable physical or mental suffering from your illness, disease, disability or state of decline that cannot be relieved under conditions that you consider acceptable.”
“If you have a mental illness along with other medical conditions, you may be eligible for medical assistance in dying,” the official page states.
Fraser admitted that the indefinite ban could reach the Supreme Court for a final decision.
About 5% of deaths in Canada are linked to MAiD. And euthanasia ranks second in deaths per capita.
Relevant Bible passages to ponder: Galatians 6:2, Proverbs 24:11, 1 Thessalonians 5:14
