Assisted dying accounts for one in every 20 Canadian deaths, with every likelihood it'll happen in Britain very soon.
Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) programme has seen rapid expansion since its introduction in 2016, now encompassing patients with mental illnesses and disabilities as well as those terminally ill. Canadian MP Garnett Genuis declared in parliament:
“What began as a tightly controlled practice has spiralled beyond recognition,”
while opposition voices claim that vulnerable groups are being failed by the system.
MAiD, legalised through Bill C-14 in June 2016, initially applied to adults with terminal illnesses in a state of irreversible decline. But, in 2021, Bill C-7 massively broadened access to assisted suicide include those suffering from non-terminal conditions. Recent reports indicate that by 2023, 4.8% of Canadian deaths resulted from MAiD—an unprecedented figure that critics argue exposes systemic issues in healthcare and social support.
The policy has drawn international scrutiny as its reach expands, with amendments for mental health conditions set to take effect in 2024 and could result in people with mild depression being offered the 'cure' of euthanasia.
“The government’s role should be to preserve life, not facilitate death,”
tweeted Baroness Finlay, a British cross-bench peer and palliative care expert.
Meanwhile, campaigners at Care Not Killing warned, “This is the inevitable trajectory when the state normalises assisted suicide: a society that devalues the vulnerable.” Social media platforms have been ablaze with reactions, with one user stating, “Canada is becoming a dystopian cautionary tale.”
Statistics from Health Canada’s annual MAiD report revealed that in 2022 alone, over 13,000 individuals chose assisted death, with the total number since 2016 exceeding 44,000. According to the report, 35% of patients cited inadequate pain control as a key factor, and 27% expressed loneliness or a loss of autonomy. The United Nations Human Rights Council raised concerns in 2021, highlighting potential abuses in cases involving people with disabilities.
The rapid rise of state-sanctioned death in Canada has sparked alarm in Britain, where debates over legalising assisted dying have reignited. Critics warn that once boundaries are breached, societal values erode, leaving vulnerable individuals at risk.
Unless Britain learns from Canada’s trajectory, it will undoubtedly face similar consequences, with policymakers urged to prioritise safeguards and healthcare reforms over legislation that expedites death. Parliament is poised for renewed debates on assisted dying in 2024, with the stakes higher than ever.
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