Demand Senators Stop This Euthanasia Expansion
SENATORS: Halt Expansion of Euthanasia to Mentally Ill and Drug Addicts Now!
SENATORS: Halt Expansion of Euthanasia to Mentally Ill and Drug Addicts Now!
The federal government announced it has planned to delay the expansion until March 2027 with the introduction of Bill C-62.
This "good news" announcement is just a smokescreen by the Trudeau Liberal Government to relieve the current backlash they are facing for even proposing this expansion.
If Bill C-62 is NOT passed before March 17, then the expansion to include the mentally ill and drug-addicted within our current euthanasia law will go into effect as planned.
While most of our elected Parliament members are expected to vote "Yes" on passing the 2027 extension, stopping the expansion still faces a significant obstacle:
The Senate.
The Senators are currently at odds with our elected Members of Parliament on this issue.
So even if Bill C-62 passes in the House, The Senate could quickly kill it in their mandated rounds of deliberation and voting.
One Senator in particular, Stan Kutcher, who was on the Joint Committee studying the proposed expansion, has come out aggressively against the delay, stating that The Senate works to "protect against the tyranny of the majority."
He could not be any more wrong, especially when the majority of Canadians DO NOT WANT euthanasia for our mentally ill and drug-addicted minorities.
Most mental conditions and drug addicts are proven to be effectively treatable and, in most cases, curable with proper social care and support.
The Globe and Mail, which positively supported the federal Liberal government's legalization of euthanasia, also came out against this expansion with an article titled, "A delay is not enough: Ottawa should withdraw its MAID law for the mentally ill."
They rightly argued that "it is irrefutable that there is not a consensus within the psychiatric community over whether irremediable mental illness can be reliably diagnosed," while also citing an October 2022 study that concluded "clinicians cannot accurately predict long-term chances of recovery in a particular patient" facing mental illness.
It's become abundantly clear that without us taking action, The Senate is highly likely to reject Bill C-62, and euthanasia will be expanded to include the mentally ill and drug-addicted come March 17.
But there's still hope.
If the expansion is delayed and pressure continues, the decision to expand the law could occur after the next federal election, potentially ending this expansion for good.
We must directly proclaim to The Senate that everyday Canadians oppose this expansion, as well as any future expansions, of the euthanasia law.
The clock is ticking, and we must act before it's too late.
Lend your voice to this cause! Demand The Senate scraps all plans to expand the euthanasia law to include the mentally ill and drug addicted immediately.
Sources:
Health Canada: The Government of Canada introduces legislation to delay Medical Assistance in Dying expansion by 3 years
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/news/2024/02/the-government-of-canada-introduces-legislation-to-delay-medical-assistance-in-dying-expansion-by-3-years.html
Ministry of Justice: Canada’s medical assistance in dying (MAID) law
https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cj-jp/ad-am/bk-di.html
Join the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition on Parliament Hill on February 27 to oppose euthanasia for mental illness.
https://alexschadenberg.blogspot.com/2024/01/join-euthanasia-prevention-coalition-on.html
Barrons: Canada Delays Euthanasia For Mentally Ill Until 2027
https://www.barrons.com/news/canada-delays-euthanasia-for-mentally-ill-until-2027-efb7346d
ARPA Canada: Government Introduces Bill to Delay Euthanasia Expansion
https://arpacanada.ca/articles/government-introduces-bill-to-delay-euthanasia-expansion/
The Globe and Mail: A delay is not enough: Ottawa should withdraw its MAID law for the mentally ill
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/editorials/article-a-delay-is-not-enough-ottawa-should-withdraw-its-maid-law-for-the/
The Globe and Mail: Majority of provinces, territories ask for indefinite pause to MAID for individuals with mental illness
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-maid-mental-illness-canada-provinces/
Cambridge University Press: Irremediability in psychiatric euthanasia: examining the objective standard
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychological-medicine/article/irremediability-in-psychiatric-euthanasia-examining-the-objective-standard/39CF3F03E81053EA152C63F332478CB4?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=bookmark
CTV: Canadian government to wait until after next federal election to expand assisted dying eligibility
https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/liberals-delay-expansion-of-assisted-dying-eligibility-until-2027-1.6751323
Bill C-62
https://www.parl.ca/LegisInfo/en/bill/44-1/C-62
CitizenGO: End 2024 Expansion: Euthanasia is not Mental Health & Drug Addiction Care!
https://www.citizengo.org/en-ca/lf/212546-end-2024-expansion-euthanasia-not-mental-health-drug-addiction-care
Complete your signature
Sign this petition now!
Halt the Expansion of Euthanasia to Mentally Ill and Drug-Addicted Individuals NOW
Dear Senators,
As a concerned citizen of Canada, I stand firmly against the proposed expansion of euthanasia to encompass individuals with mental illnesses and drug addictions, a measure scheduled to take effect unless legislative action, specifically Bill C-62, is taken to prevent its implementation on March 17.
It is deeply troubling that, despite delaying the decision last year in favor of continued investigation and deliberation, the trajectory still points towards including our citizens struggling with such profound health challenges in the existing Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) policy come March.
The course currently charted for our society effectively diminishes the value placed on the lives of Canadians contending with psychological and addiction issues, suggesting eligibility for state-sanctioned premature death. This notion is both chilling and reminiscent of genocidal ideologies that history has come to condemn unanimously.
This expansion strips us of our humane obligations towards our vulnerable — to support and care for them rather than amending our laws to deem them expendable based on convenience.
Furthermore, countless Psychiatric professionals have continued to argue over which vague benchmarks should constitute 'irremediability' in these mental health and drug addiction cases.
There is no objective agreement on what mental illnesses or drug addictions should be considered "lost causes." Avoiding any action resulting in underestimating human life's intrinsic value would be wise.
By allowing euthanasia for the mentally ill and drug-dependent, the government is sending a clear message to Canadians: "It is better to use a death warrant instead of providing people with charitable acts of hope and compassion."
Given this expansion's un-Canadian approach to compassionately helping those in need, I implore you to denounce this extension of Canada's euthanasia laws.
I will not allow euthanasia-on-demand to be the legacy we bestow upon future generations.
Standing against this expansion will not only honor the lives of our most vulnerable but also send a clear message that Canadians genuinely care about those who suffer from mental illnesses and drug addictions.
Sincerely,
Halt the Expansion of Euthanasia to Mentally Ill and Drug-Addicted Individuals NOW
Dear Senators,
As a concerned citizen of Canada, I stand firmly against the proposed expansion of euthanasia to encompass individuals with mental illnesses and drug addictions, a measure scheduled to take effect unless legislative action, specifically Bill C-62, is taken to prevent its implementation on March 17.
It is deeply troubling that, despite delaying the decision last year in favor of continued investigation and deliberation, the trajectory still points towards including our citizens struggling with such profound health challenges in the existing Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) policy come March.
The course currently charted for our society effectively diminishes the value placed on the lives of Canadians contending with psychological and addiction issues, suggesting eligibility for state-sanctioned premature death. This notion is both chilling and reminiscent of genocidal ideologies that history has come to condemn unanimously.
This expansion strips us of our humane obligations towards our vulnerable — to support and care for them rather than amending our laws to deem them expendable based on convenience.
Furthermore, countless Psychiatric professionals have continued to argue over which vague benchmarks should constitute 'irremediability' in these mental health and drug addiction cases.
There is no objective agreement on what mental illnesses or drug addictions should be considered "lost causes." Avoiding any action resulting in underestimating human life's intrinsic value would be wise.
By allowing euthanasia for the mentally ill and drug-dependent, the government is sending a clear message to Canadians: "It is better to use a death warrant instead of providing people with charitable acts of hope and compassion."
Given this expansion's un-Canadian approach to compassionately helping those in need, I implore you to denounce this extension of Canada's euthanasia laws.
I will not allow euthanasia-on-demand to be the legacy we bestow upon future generations.
Standing against this expansion will not only honor the lives of our most vulnerable but also send a clear message that Canadians genuinely care about those who suffer from mental illnesses and drug addictions.
Sincerely,
