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